Editing Intervision Song Contest

{{short description|International song competition}}
{{Other uses|Intervision (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox television
| name                 = {{noitalic|Intervision Song Contest}}
| image                =
| caption              =
| alt_name             =
| genre                = [[Music competition]]
| creator              = [[International Radio and Television Organisation]]
| developer            = 
| writer               = 
| director             = 
| creative_director    = 
| presenter            = 
| starring             = 
| judges               = 
| voices               = 
| narrated             = 
| theme_music_composer = 
| opentheme            = 
| endtheme             = 
| composer             = 
| country              = 
| language             = 
| num_seasons          = <!-- or num_series -->
| num_episodes         = 8 contests
| list_episodes        = 
| executive_producer   = 
| producer             = 
| editor               = 
| location             = {{Plainlist|
* [[Prague]] (1965)
* [[Bratislava]] (1966–1967)
* [[Karlovy Vary]] (1968)
* [[Sopot]] (1977–1980)}}
| cinematography       = 
| camera               = 
| runtime              = 
| channel              = 
| first_aired          = {{Start date|1965|06|12|df=y}}
| last_aired           = {{End date|1968|06|22|df=y}}<ref name="transformations.univie.ac.at">{{cite web |last1=Vuletic |first1=Dean |title=Dr. Dean Vuletic: Intervision: Popular Music and Politics in Eastern Europe |url=https://transformations.univie.ac.at/en/members/dean-vuletic/ |website=Universitat Wien |access-date=1 May 2023 |archive-date=1 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501080040/https://transformations.univie.ac.at/en/members/dean-vuletic/ }}</ref>
| first_aired2         = {{Start date|df=y|1977|08|24}}
| last_aired2          = {{End date|df=y|1980|08|23}}
| company              = [[International Radio and Television Organisation]]<br>1965–68: [[Czechoslovak Television]]<br>1977–80: {{lang|pl|[[Telewizja Polska]]|i=no}} 
| related              = [[Sopot International Song Festival]]
| italic_title         = no 
}}

The '''Intervision Song Contest''' (ISC) was an international [[Music competition|song competition]] organised by the [[International Radio and Television Organisation]] (OIRT) between 1965 and 1980, and broadcast live to national broadcasters via the [[International Radio and Television Organisation#Intervision|Intervision network]]. The contest took place in several locations in [[Czechoslovakia]], and in the [[Forest Opera]] in [[Sopot]], Poland. It was the [[Eastern Bloc]] equivalent to the [[Eurovision Song Contest]].

The ISC was organised from 1965 to 1968 and again from 1977 to 1980.<ref name="transformations.univie.ac.at">{{cite web |last1=Vuletic |first1=Dean |title=Dr. Dean Vuletic: Intervision: Popular Music and Politics in Eastern Europe |url=https://transformations.univie.ac.at/en/members/dean-vuletic/ |website=Universitat Wien |access-date=1 May 2023 |archive-date=1 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501080040/https://transformations.univie.ac.at/en/members/dean-vuletic/ }}</ref><ref name="Postwar Europe">{{cite book |last1=Vuletic |first1=Dean |title=Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest |date=25 July 2019 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-350-10739-7 <!--|access-date=1 May 2023-->}}</ref><ref name="Vuletic 2021 pp. 141–156">{{cite book | last=Vuletic | first=Dean | title=Music and Democracy | chapter=The Intervision Song Contest: Popular Music and Political Liberalization in the Eastern Bloc | publisher=mdwPress / transcript Verlag | publication-place=Vienna, Austria / Bielefeld, Germany | date=2021-11-23 | isbn=978-3-8376-5657-2 | doi=10.14361/9783839456576-006 | pages=141–156}}</ref> Since 1977, it replaced the [[Sopot International Song Festival]] (Sopot ISF) that had been held in Sopot since 1961. In 1981 the ISC/Sopot ISF was cancelled because of the rise of the independent trade union movement, [[Solidarity (Polish trade union)|Solidarity]], which was judged by other Eastern bloc communist governments to be "counter-revolutionary".

In 2008, an [[Intervision Song Contest 2008|unrelated contest with the same name]] took place, as an attempt to revival, though subsequent editions planned in both 2014 and 2015 did not materialise.<ref>{{Cite news|url= http://eurovoix.com/2014/09/01/intervision-2014-contest-is-cancelled|title=Intervision: 2014 Contest Is Cancelled|last=Granger|first=Anthony|date=1 September 2014|website=Eurovoix|access-date= 1 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Granger|first1=Anthony|title=Intervision: Contest Moved To Autumn 2015|url=http://eurovoix.com/2015/03/14/intervision-contest-moved-to-autumn-2015/|website=Eurovoix.com|date=14 March 2015 |access-date=16 April 2015}}</ref> After the {{esccnty|Russia|t=Russian broadcasters}} withdrew from the [[European Broadcasting Union]] upon [[Eurovision Song Contest 2022#Exclusion of Russia|being excluded from the Eurovision Song Contest 2022]], another revival was announced by the [[Ministry of Culture (Russia)|Russian Ministry of Culture]] in 2023, with Russian president [[Vladimir Putin]] signing a decree for it to be held in Moscow later [[Intervision Song Contest 2025|in 2025]].<ref name="2023revival">{{Cite web |url=https://www.moscowtimes.ru/2023/11/17/v-rossii-vozrodyat-sovetskii-festival-vmesto-evrovideniya-a113523 |title=В России возродят советский фестиваль песен вместо "Евровидения" |language=ru-RU |date=2023-11-17 |access-date=2023-11-17 |publisher=[[The Moscow Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/back-ussr-putin-revives-soviet-era-eurovision-with-new-allies-2025-02-04/ | title=Back in the USSR: Putin revives Soviet-era 'Eurovision' with new allies | work=Reuters | date=4 February 2025 | last1=Faulconbridge | first1=Guy | last2=Faulconbridge | first2=Guy }}</ref>

==History==
===1965–1968: The Czechoslovak era===
The first series of Intervision Song Contest, officially called '''Golden Clef Intervision Contest''' ({{langx|cs|Zlatý klíč Intervize}})<ref name="Vuletic 2021 pp. 141–156"/><ref name=expats.cz_article>{{cite web | title=The 'other' European song contest: Czechoslovakia's Intervision was meant to rival Eurovision | website=Prague, Czech Republic | date=2021-05-21 | url=https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/the-other-european-song-contest-czechoslovakia-s-intervision-was-meant-to-rival-eurovision | access-date=2024-05-02}}</ref> ran from 1965 to 1968 in [[Czechoslovakia]].<ref name="Postwar Europe" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Vuletic |first1=Dean |title=The many myths of the Intervision Song Contest — the first attempt to produce a regional version of Eurovision |url=https://wiwibloggs.com/2020/08/20/the-many-myths-of-the-intervision-song-contest-the-first-attempt-to-produce-a-regional-version-of-eurovision/256850/ |access-date=12 May 2023 |publisher=wiwibloggs}}</ref> The inaugural contest was held at the [[Musical Theatre Karlín]] in [[Prague]], with subsequent editions held in [[Bratislava]] and [[Karlovy Vary]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Kölbl |first1=Marko |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zglQEAAAQBAJ&dq=Golden+Clef+Intervision+Contest&pg=PT136 |title=Music and Democracy: Participatory Approaches |last2=Trümpi |first2=Fritz |date=2021-11-18 |publisher=transcript Verlag |isbn=978-3-7328-5657-2 |language=en}}</ref>

===1977–1980: The Polish Sopot era===
{{Further|Sopot International Song Festival}}
The first [[Sopot International Song Festival]] was initiated and organised in 1961 by [[Władysław Szpilman]], assisted by Szymon Zakrzewski from Polish Artists Management (PAGART).<ref>{{cite web|last=Szpilman|first=Wladyslaw|title=Songs composed by Wladyslaw Szpilman|url=http://www.szpilman.net/framesongs.html|publisher=szpilman.net|access-date=30 May 2014|date=1 December 2005}}</ref> The first three editions were held in the Shipyard hall of [[Gdańsk]] (1961–1963), after which the festival moved to the [[Forest Opera]] in [[Sopot]]. The main prize has been Amber Nightingale for most of its history.

Between 1977 and 1980 the Sopot International Song Festival was replaced by the Intervision Song Contest, which was still held in the same venue. Unlike the [[Eurovision Song Contest]], the Sopot International Music Festival often changed its formulas to pick a winner and offered many different contests for its participants. For example, at the 1980 contest two competitions were organised: one for artists representing television companies, the other for those representing record companies. In the first competition, the jury considered the artistic merits of the songs entered, while in the second, it judged the performers' interpretation.<ref name="ISC1980">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NyQEAAAAMBAJ&q=marika+gombitova&pg=PT64|title=Finn Singer Triumphant At Sopot Contest|first=Roman|last=Waschko|date=1980-09-06|page=65|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|publisher=[[Nielsen Company|Nielsen Business Media]]|access-date=2011-04-05|quote=Two competitions were held at the 4th Intervision Song Festival in Sopot August 20–23, 1980: one for artists representing television companies, the other for those representing record companies. In the first the jury considered the artistic merits of the songs entered; while the performers' interpretation was judged in the second. The outcome was a victory for Finnish singer [[Marion Rung|Marion]] in the first contest, "Where Is the Love?" taking the Grand Prix. Six year ago, the same artist won Grand Prix at the Sopot International Song Festival. First prize was shared by Czech performer, Marika Gombitová with "Declaration", and Russian Nikolai Gnatiuk for the song "Dance on a Drum".}}</ref> The festival has always been open to non-European acts, and countries like Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mongolia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Peru, South Africa, and many others have been represented in the event.

The festival lost popularity in Poland and abroad in the 1980s<!--declining further during the 1990s-->. {{lang|pl|[[Telewizja Polska]]|i=no}} (TVP)'s unconvincing attempts at organising several of the contests led to the authorities of Sopot giving the organisation of the 2005 festival to a private broadcaster, [[TVN (Polish TV channel)|TVN]]. Since 1999, there had been no competition. TVP chose to invite well-known artists instead, featuring the likes of [[Whitney Houston]] or [[The Corrs]]. In 2005, TVN was expected to bring the competition back. In 2006 TVN invited [[Elton John]]. In 2010 and 2011, the festival did not take place due to renovation of the Forest Opera. Since 2012, it has been called ''Sopot Top of the Top Festival'' and is broadcast annually by [[Polsat]]. The festival also provided opportunity to listen to international stars. It featured [[Charles Aznavour]], [[Boney M]], [[Johnny Cash]], and more recently: [[Chuck Berry]], [[Vanessa Mae]], [[Annie Lennox]], [[Vaya Con Dios (band)|Vaya Con Dios]], [[Chris Rea]], [[Tanita Tikaram]], [[La Toya Jackson]], [[Whitney Houston]], [[Kajagoogoo]], as well as [[Goran Bregovic]] and [[Anastacia]].

==Participation==
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! Country
! Broadcaster(s)
! Debut year<ref name="Vuletic 2021 pp. 141–156"/>
! Latest entry
! Years
! Entries<ref name="Vuletic 2021 pp. 141–156"/>
! Wins<ref name="Vuletic 2021 pp. 141–156"/>
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|Belgium}}{{Ref_label|A|a|none}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Belgische Radio- en Televisieomroep|BRT]] ([[Flemish Community|Flemish]])<br />[[RTBF]] ([[French Community of Belgium|Wallon]])
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1968|1968]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1979|1979]]
| 2
| 2
| 0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|Bulgaria}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Bulgarian National Television|BNT]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1968|1968]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1980|1980]]
| 5
| 6
| 1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|Canada}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]]
| colspan="2" | [[Intervision Song Contest 1978|1978]]
| colspan="2" | 1
| 0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|Cuba}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Cuban Institute of Radio and Television|ICRT]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1977|1977]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1979|1980]]
| 3
| 4
| 0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|Czechoslovakia}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Czechoslovak Television|CST]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1965|1965]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1980|1980]]
| 8
| 10
| 6
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|German Democratic Republic|name=East Germany}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Deutscher Fernsehfunk|DFF]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1965|1965]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1980|1980]]
| 8
| 11
| 0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|Finland}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[YLE]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1966|1966]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1980|1980]]
| 7
| 7
| 1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|Hungary}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Magyar Televízió|MTV]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1965|1965]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1980|1980]]
| 7
| 8
| 0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|Morocco}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Société Nationale de Radiodiffusion et de Télévision|SNRT]]
| colspan="2" | [[Intervision Song Contest 1979|1979]]
| colspan="2" | 1
| 0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|Netherlands}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|NOS]]
| colspan="2" | [[Intervision Song Contest 1980|1980]]
| colspan="2" | 1
| 0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|Poland}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Telewizja Polska|TVP]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1965|1965]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1980|1980]]
| 8
| 10
| 1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|Portugal}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Radiotelevisão Portuguesa|RTP]]
| colspan="2" | [[Intervision Song Contest 1979|1979]]
| colspan="2" | 1
| 0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|Romania}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Romanian Television|TVR]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1968|1968]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1980|1980]]
| 5
| 6
| 0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|Soviet Union}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Soviet Central Television|CT USSR]] 
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1965|1965]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1980|1980]]
| 8
| 10
| 2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|Spain}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Televisión Española|TVE]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1968|1968]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1980|1980]]
| 5
| 6
| 0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|Switzerland}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[SRG SSR]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1968|1968]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1980|1980]]
| 2
| 2
| 0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagu|Yugoslavia}}
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Yugoslav Radio Television|JRT]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1965|1965]]
| [[Intervision Song Contest 1980|1980]]
| 6
| 7
| 0
|-
|}
<!--This map needs an update:
[[File:Intervision Participation.svg|thumbnail|600px|center|Participation since 1977: {{legend|#22b14c|Entered at least once}} {{legend|#ffc20e|Never entered, although eligible to do so}} {{legend|#d40000|Entry intended but contest later cancelled}}]]
-->

==Winners==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="font-size: 95"
! rowspan="2" |Year
! rowspan="2" |Date
! rowspan="2" |Host City
! colspan="4" |Winner
|-
! scope="col" | Country<ref name="Vuletic 2021 pp. 141–156" /><ref name="Winners">{{cite web|last=Rosenberg|first=Steve|title=The Cold War rival to Eurovision|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18006446|publisher=BBC News|access-date=31 May 2014|date=14 May 2012|quote=Intervision winners}}</ref>
! scope="col" | Song<ref name="Vuletic 2021 pp. 141–156" /><ref name="Winners" />
! scope="col" | Artist<ref name="Vuletic 2021 pp. 141–156" /><ref name="Winners" />
! scope="col" | Language
|-
! scope="row" | [[Intervision Song Contest 1965|1965]]
| 12 June<ref name="expats.cz_article" />
| {{flagicon|Czechoslovakia}} [[Prague]]
| {{flagu|Czechoslovakia}}
| "Tam, kam chodí vítr spát"
| [[Karel Gott]]
| Czech
|-
! scope="row" | [[Intervision Song Contest 1966|1966]]
| 25 June<ref>{{cite news |title=So 25. června |trans-title=Sat 25 June |url=https://kramerius.rozhlas.cz/view/uuid:25737dba-2134-481b-9c95-3a3f4c8b3627?page=uuid:a196c963-4a4e-4626-a4a1-bd26c708e239 |access-date=21 June 2024 |work=Rozhlasový týdeník |date=14 June 1966 |issue=26 |page=7 |language=cs |via={{ill|Kramerius (digital library)|cs|Kramerius (digitální knihovna)|lt=Kramerius}}}}</ref>
| {{flagicon|Czechoslovakia}} [[Bratislava]]
| {{flagu|Bulgaria}}
| "Adagio" <small>({{lang|bg|Адажио}})</small>
| [[Lili Ivanova]]
| Bulgarian
|-
! scope="row" | [[Intervision Song Contest 1967|1967]]
| 17 June<ref>{{cite news |title=So 17. června |trans-title=Sat 17 June |url=https://kramerius.rozhlas.cz/view/uuid:28ff34a6-9100-47dd-a194-6bce0ba3eebd?page=uuid:a8f67fe4-937c-40d3-9d26-b6976de349c5 |access-date=21 June 2024 |work=Rozhlasový týdeník |date=6 June 1967 |issue=25 |page=7 |language=cs |via={{ill|Kramerius (digital library)|cs|Kramerius (digitální knihovna)|lt=Kramerius}}}}</ref>
| {{flagicon|Czechoslovakia}} [[Bratislava]]
| {{flagu|Czechoslovakia}}
| "Rekviem"
| [[Eva Pilarová]]
| Czech
|-
! scope="row" | [[Intervision Song Contest 1968|1968]]
| 22 June<ref name="expats.cz_article" />
| {{flagicon|Czechoslovakia}} [[Karlovy Vary]]
| {{flagu|Czechoslovakia}}
| "Proč ptáci zpívají?"
| [[Karel Gott]]
| Czech
|-
| colspan="7" {{n/a|No Intervision Song Contest held from 1969 to 1976}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[Intervision Song Contest 1977|1977]]
| 24–27 August
| rowspan="7" | {{flagicon|Poland|1928}} [[Sopot]]
| {{flagu|Czechoslovakia}}
| "Malovaný džbánku"
| [[Helena Vondráčková]]
| Czech
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" | [[Intervision Song Contest 1978|1978]]
| rowspan="2" | 23–26 August
| {{flagu|Czechoslovakia}}
| "Patrik"
| [[Václav Neckář]]
| Czech
|-
| {{flagu|Soviet Union}}
| "Vsyo mogut koroli" <small>({{lang|ru|Всё могут короли}})</small>
| [[Alla Pugacheva]]
| Russian
|-
! scope="row" | [[Intervision Song Contest 1979|1979]]
| 22–25 August
| {{flagu|Poland|1928}}
| "Nim przyjdzie wiosna"
| [[Czesław Niemen]]
| Polish
|-
! rowspan="3" scope="row" | [[Intervision Song Contest 1980|1980]]
| rowspan="3" | 20–23 August
| {{flagu|Czechoslovakia}}
| "Chcem sa s tebou deliť"
| [[Marika Gombitová]]
| Slovak
|-
| {{flagu|Finland}}
| "Hyvästi yö"
| [[Marion Rung]]
| Finnish
|-
| {{flagu|Soviet Union}}
| "Na vstrechu oseni" <small>({{lang|ru|На встречу осени}})</small>
| [[Mykola Hnatyuk]]
| Russian
|}

===Winners by country===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
|-
!Wins
!Country
!Years
|-
| 6
|{{flagu|Czechoslovakia}}
|1965, 1967, 1968, 1977, 1978, 1980
|-
| 2
|{{flagu|Soviet Union}}
|1978, 1980
|-
|rowspan="3"| 1
|{{flagu|Finland}}
|1980
|-
|{{flagu|Poland|1928}}
|1979
|-
|{{flagu|Bulgaria}}
|1966
|}

===Winners by language===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
|-
!Wins
!Language
!Years
|-
| 5
| [[Czech language|Czech]]
| 1965, 1967, 1968, 1977, 1978
|-
| 2
| [[Russian language|Russian]]
| 1978, 1980
|-
|rowspan="4"| 1
| [[Finnish language|Finnish]]
| 1980
|-
| [[Slovak language|Slovak]]
| 1980
|-
| [[Polish language|Polish]]
| 1979
|-
| [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]]
| 1966
|}

== Revival attempts ==
In 2008, an unrelated [[Intervision Song Contest 2008]] was organised where eleven countries participated and was won by Tajikistan.<ref name="Intervision 2008">{{cite web |date=20 August 2008 |title=Five Stars Intervision to open in Sochi |url=http://news.uzreport.uz/news_9_e_49317.html |access-date=9 June 2014 |website=uzreport.uz |publisher=UzReport}}</ref> In 2009, the then [[Prime Minister of Russia]], [[Vladimir Putin]], proposed restarting the competition, this time between Russia, China and the Central Asian member states of the [[Shanghai Cooperation Organisation]].<ref>[http://shanghaiist.com/2009/10/16/intervision_the_russian_proposed_so.php Intervision: The Russian proposed song contest with China, Central Asia] (Shanghaiist: Shanghai News, Food, Arts & Events)</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/news/2009/10/091016_intervision_et_sl.shtml Putin mulls Intervision Song Contest] (BBC World Service)</ref>

In May 2014, it was announced that the contest would return, featuring countries from the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bartlett|first=Paul|title=Bearded Lady Spurs Russia to Revive Soviet-Era Song Contest|url=http://www.eurasianet.org/node/68401|website=eurasianet.org|publisher=eurasianet|access-date=30 May 2014|date=23 May 2014}}</ref> Russian singer and producer Igor Matvienko, announced that the contest would take place in October 2014 in the coastal city of [[Sochi]], which played host to the [[2014 Winter Olympics]].<ref name="HostCity">{{cite web|last=Bartlett|first=Paul|title=Bearded Lady Spurs Russia to Revive Soviet-Era Song Contest|url=http://www.eurasianet.org/node/68401|website=eurasianet.org|publisher=eurasianet|access-date=30 May 2014|date=23 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Kozlov|first=Vladimir|title=Russia launches Song Contest as Eurovision alternatives|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/russia-launches-song-contests-as-707076|publisher=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=31 May 2014|date=26 May 2014}}</ref> Seven countries had declared their interest to compete prior to the event's cancellation: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Uzbekistan.<ref name="ISCRevival">{{cite web|url=http://eurovoix.com/2014/05/23/russia-intervision-to-return-this-october/|title=Russia: Intervision To Return This October|last=Granger|first=Anthony|work=Eurovoix|date=23 May 2014|access-date=26 May 2014}}</ref><ref name="Participation">{{cite web|last=Ko|first=Anthony|title=Russia: Intervision Song Contest to return this October|url=http://wiwibloggs.com/2014/05/23/russia-intervision-return-october/51126/|publisher=Wiwibloggs.com|access-date=30 May 2014|date=23 May 2014}}</ref> Russia had also selected [[Alexander Ivanov (singer)|Alexander Ivanov]] as its representative.<ref name="RussiaParticipant">{{cite web|last=Granger|first=Anthony|title=Russia: Alexander Ivanov Wins "Five Stars"|url=http://eurovoix.com/2014/06/15/russia-alexander-ivanov-wins-five-stars/|publisher=Eurovoix.com|access-date=15 June 2014|date=15 June 2014}}</ref> The contest was scheduled to take place in October 2014, ostensibly due to "Russian anger at the moral decay of the West", particularly in response to the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2014]] winner [[Conchita Wurst]]. Moreover, the revival was seen as part of "Putin's broader cultural diplomacy agenda".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.newsweek.com/2014/08/01/following-outrage-over-conchita-russia-reviving-its-own-soviet-eurovision-260815.html|title=Following Outrage Over Conchita, Russia Is Reviving Its Own Straight Eurovision|last=Lee-Adams|first=William|date=25 July 2014|website=newsweek.com|publisher=Newsweek|access-date=30 July 2014}}</ref> Despite plans to stage the contest in both 2014 and 2015, a revival has not taken place.<ref>{{Cite news|url= http://eurovoix.com/2014/09/01/intervision-2014-contest-is-cancelled|title=Intervision: 2014 Contest Is Cancelled|last=Granger|first=Anthony|date=1 September 2014|website=Eurovoix|access-date= 1 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Granger|first1=Anthony|title=Intervision: Contest Moved To Autumn 2015|url=http://eurovoix.com/2015/03/14/intervision-contest-moved-to-autumn-2015/|website=Eurovoix.com|date=14 March 2015 |access-date=16 April 2015}}</ref> Ivanov later {{esccnty|Belarus|y=2016|t=represented Belarus}} in the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2016]] with the song "Help You Fly", but failed to qualify for the final.<ref>{{cite web|first=Mikhail|last=Vasilyev|title=Belarus: IVAN will sing "Help You Fly" at Eurovision 2016|url=http://wiwibloggs.com/2016/01/22/belarus-ivan-will-sing-help-you-fly-eurovision/117603/|website=Wiwibloggs.com|date=22 January 2016}}</ref>

In November 2023, [[Ministry of Culture (Russia)|Russian Minister of Culture]] [[Olga Lyubimova]] and [[Channel One Russia]]'s Director General [[Konstantin Ernst]] revealed at St. Petersburg's International Cultural Forum that the broadcaster planned to produce a revival of the Intervision Song Contest featuring the member countries of [[BRICS]].<ref name="2023revival" /> This occurred after the broadcaster's membership in the [[European Broadcasting Union]] was suspended, upon [[Eurovision Song Contest 2022#Exclusion of Russia|the exclusion of Russia from the Eurovision Song Contest 2022]] due to its [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://corp.suspilne.media/newsdetails/5047 |title=Європейська мовна спілка призупинила членство російських ЗМІ |trans-title=The European Broadcasting Union suspends the membership of Russian media outlets |language=uk |date=2022-05-27 |access-date=2024-06-10 |publisher=[[Suspilne]]}}</ref> On 8 June 2024, Russian government official [[Mikhail Shvydkoy]] told [[RIA Novosti]] that "more than 16 countries" would take part in the competition, naming Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brazil, China, Cuba, and Kazakhstan.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ria.ru/20240608/shvydkoy-1951601188.html |title=Более 16 стран примут участие в музыкальном конкурсе "Интервидение" |language=ru |publisher=[[RIA Novosti]] |date=2024-06-08 |access-date=2024-06-10 |trans-title=More than 16 countries will take part in the Intervision music contest |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240608074020/https://ria.ru/20240608/shvydkoy-1951601188.html |archive-date=2024-06-08 |url-status=live}}</ref>

On 3 February 2025, now-president Putin signed a decree formalising the revival of the competition. The [[Intervision Song Contest 2025]] is scheduled to be held in the Moscow area in September 2025. Deputy Prime Minister [[Dmitry Chernyshenko]] was appointed as chair of the event's organizing committee, while domestic policy chief [[Sergey Kiriyenko]] was installed as chair of its supervisory board. By then, more than 25 countries had shown interest.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/02/03/putin-signs-decree-creating-russian-eurovision-alternative-a87845 |title=Putin Signs Decree Creating Russian Eurovision Alternative |language=en |publisher=[[The Moscow Times]] |date=3 February 2025 |access-date=4 February 2025 }}</ref>

==References==
; Notes
{{reflist|group=note}}
{{refbegin}}
{{ordered list|type=a
|1= {{Note_label|A|a|none}}BRT and RTBF alternate responsibilities for the contest.
}}
{{refend}}
; References
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18006446 BBC Magazine: The Cold War rival to Eurovision], Steve Rosenberg, 13 May 2012

{{Intervision Song Contest}}
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[[Category:Intervision Song Contest| ]]
[[Category:Eastern Bloc]]
[[Category:Recurring events established in 1965]]
[[Category:Recurring events disestablished in 1980]]
[[Category:Song contests]]
[[Category:Sopot International Song Festival]]