Monaco is not coming back for Eurovision 2018

A historical Eurovision participant

Monaco is a city-state located on the Mediterranean Coast, near the border between Italy and France. The principality joined Eurovision early, in 1959, only to end up last with one single point.
However, it didn’t deter Télévision Monte-Carlo, Monaco’s public broadcaster, and the principality participated for 21 successive years. They won the contest in 1971 with Séverine and her song Un banc, un arbre, une rue. Since they couldn’t host the contest the following year, the 1972 edition took place in Edinburgh.

Monaco’s short comeback

TMC (Télé Monte-Carlo, rebranded during the 60’s) withdrew from Eurovision in 1980 for financial reasons, and never really came back. But it didn’t stop Monaco from re-entering the contest in 2004. TMC came back as broadcaster, but it was the Monégasque Government that funded the delegation and chose the singer.
Monaco’s comeback was short, though, and the principality withdrew again after the 2006 contest, having failed to qualify during the previous three years. The country haven’t come back since, but remains the only micro-state to have ever won Eurovision.

The TMC issue

Many reasons can explain Monaco’s absence for the last 11 years : one of them is the lack of an actual public broadcaster. Indeed, while TMC remains an EBU member, it is no longer a public broadcaster. The channel has been part of the TF1 Group, the largest private French broadcaster, since 2005, while the Principality only owns 20% of the channel. Now, TMC is no longer a local Monégasque channel, but a French media broadcasting French programmes for a French public.
But while you probably won’t see Monaco again in Eurovision, you can still watch their former performances, including their only victory.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ8V7-oS6yk”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]What do you think ? Do you want to see Monaco come back ? What was your favorite Monégasque entry ? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media on @escxtra ![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]