“The boss”
“The authority”
“The person you love to hate”
In the United States of America, fans spanning a wide range of pop culture events, organizations, and competitions have what could best be described as a, well, adversarial relationship with figureheads.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has been vilified by football fans for years (and, quite frankly, rightfully so, in my opinion). The same has also been said for NHL commissioner Gary Bettman (with players, alumni, fans, and celebrities alike unabashedly sharing their discontent with his performance). MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has also been embroiled in a fiasco or two that have left him with a less favorable view in the public eye. And WWE…well, we won’t go there.
That’s why it’s so easy to look at the (early) legacy and standing of Eurovision Song Contest Executive Supervisor Martin Österdahl with an eye for all the moments of controversy, confusion, and dissatisfaction. However, before Eurovision fans run to claim their disapproval (or, perhaps more extremely, demand a resignation), we think it best to look at what brought Österdahl into this role of prominence, his tenure thus far, and some thoughts and ideas – based on past behaviors and actions – of what he’ll do next when it comes to the Eurovision song contest.
Origins
In an announcement made by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in January 2020, Martin Österdahl was officially named the Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest. We won’t get into detail (yet) about how that year unfolded for the contest (and the world as we know it), but it is worth taking the time to recognize what initially inspired Österdahl to become a music and media industry professional.
The Ascent
Born in Stockholm, Österdahl spent his developmental years in both the UK and Sweden. One of his earliest forays into the arts was his time as a student at the Adolf Fredrik School of Music (also in Stockholm), an incredibly competitive junior high school that is internationally praised for its focus on choral music. He later attended Uppsala University, from which he holds a Masters degree (Science) in Business Studies, Russian, and Central European Studies. Österdahl took a keen interest in Russia and its culture in the 1980s and 1990s, completing his master’s thesis in the country.
He found a professional “home” both in publishing (and, to date, has authored 5 books) and, more notably to Eurovision fans, the music and media world (particularly television production). With over 20 years in the broadcast arena, Österdahl contributed to Mästarnas mästare and Allt för Sverige (two Swedish reality shows), as well as Skavlan (a Norwegian-Swedish talk show), which were some of SVT’s highest rating primetime shows during that era. As Programme Director and Commissioner of Entertainment & Sport of the network, he was also responsible for supervising the live productions of The Nobel Prize Ceremony and 2010 Royal Wedding.
No stranger to the production of international spectacles, his first foray into Eurovision was when he served as executive producer of the 2013 and 2016 contest (both in Sweden), and as a member of the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group from 2012-2018.
When it came time to announce Österdahl’s promotion to Executive Supervisor, his predecessor Jon Ola Sand provided an enthusiastic endorsement and vote of confidence, claiming “the future of the Eurovision Song Contest is in very capable hands and that Martin is the right person to take this incredible show to the next level” in the EBU’s official announcement.
The Regime
With Jon Ola Sand’s tenure as Eurovision Song Contest Executive Supervisor in the rearview, leaving a legacy highlighted by 10 years of “incredible growth and many changes,” Österdahl was tasked with carrying the momentum (and, then unanticipated from the world, a calm, steady, thoughtful approach to a global pandemic) upon taking the helm.
First, before we dive in, for those curious about those aforementioned 10 years of growth and change during Jon Ola Sand’s tenure, let’s “take it away!” below:
- Launching an official app and YouTube channel, introducing the contest to – and creating stronger connections with – younger audiences
- Adding Australia to its roster of participating countries, providing more “flavour, diversity” to the competition
- Giving show providers and the EBU the power to determine the order of performances, allowing a “degree of variation in the genre and feel throughout the show”
- Splitting the jury and public vote, with jury points announced first and televote-awarded points announced after (with the latter calculated together, then added to the former)
As for Österdahl’s early legacy, a few changes worth noting include:
- No longer requiring backing vocalists for all performances to perform live (a change made in response to COVID-19 concerns and caution)
- Adding a “Rest Of the World” televote for the viewers outside the competing countries (needless to say, our editorial team has been pretty excited about this one since it became official at least year’s contest)
- The exclusion of Russia from the competition in 2022 (which remains in place)
- And particularly this year:
- The first live performances of the Big Five and previous year’s winner will take place in the semifinals of the contest, not the final (providing more opportunities for contest viewers to take in these countries, and not just one grand final performance)
- An extended audience voting time period allotted for the final (now starting when the first participant takes the stage, giving viewers a longer window to cast votes, especially if they are more confident in an earlier-scheduled performer)
- The Grand Final running order will now be decided by a draw, with 3 possible outcomes (First half, second half, “producer’s choice”)
By opening up (with “Open Up” being 2021’s contest theme, the reference is not lost on us) the competition to the rest of the world to have a say, yet also taking a stand against a regular competing country the likes of Russia, it is a fascinating line Österdahl and the EBU walk (and a position I personally do not envy).
As for this year’s contest, there is no shortage of controversy and heavy debate amongst fans around the participation of Israel. There have also been other controversies throughout the past few years (accusations of jury rigging, “irregular voting patterns” from certain countries, allegations of drug use from winning artists, just to name a few) but Österdahl continues to handle them with grace, ensuring all viewers, hosts, and participants that the votes – and competition – are “good to go!”
The Future
Much like the world, in a way, this contest is constantly shifting, adapting, and evolving to continue to endear the hearts of viewers, young and old, and it takes the calm, resilience, and fortitude of a strong leader to keep things moving in a positive direction.
It remains to be seen what needs, changes, or controversies will arise as the contest carries on, but Österdahl has proven to be a leader ready for those next moments of tension, despite many calls from viewers for him to step down in light of what I can best describe as “allegation du jour.”
As alluded to earlier, many an authority figure of popular entertainment events (from professional sports to performance-based competitions) see their fair share of hate or contempt. While Österdahl continues to lead with a sense of class and calm, others seem to “embrace” the role of a heel (or “bad guy” for those unfamiliar with professional wrestling terminology) or simply shy away. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is notorious for encouraging fans to (continue to) boo him during public appearances, most notably at the annual NFL Draft. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has preferred to stray from the public light as naysayers air their displeasures with him on a regular basis, only re-emerging for what feel like “mandatory” appearances and presentations (and still limiting his “facetime” at those).
While we cannot say – or predict – how this year’s contest will go, or what new controversies may arise, it is clear that Österdahl will not only be ready for the challenge, but prepared to look our entire planet square in the eye (via television camera) and say his three magic words, and for that, we should all feel like every year of Eurovision under his guidance is a year that is, for better or for worse “good to go.”