Israel: IBA Unveils New National Final
Israel gets Melodi Granx Prix-style selection
Israeli broadcaster IBA has revealed a brand new format for choosing their entry for the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest. According to ynet.co.il, next year’s song will be selected through three semifinals, mirroring some of the Scandinavian selection methods.
A total of 30 artists will take part, split in to three equal semifinals of ten each. The national selection will run over January and February 2013, with three broadcasters showing a semifinal each. The top three songs in each semifinal will qualify for the final, with the 10th finalists being selected from those that failed to qualify across all three shows.
The article suggests that this format was due to be brought in for the 2012 contest, but a last minute hitch saw Izabo selected internally. IBA is set to invest a considerable sum, around €400,000, in this year’s national final.
