But Eurovision is all about the song, not the singer. I think this needs to be communicated clearly."Then there is the long history of Eurovision in Europe.
It began in 1956 as a project to encourage greater cultural exchanges in a Europe which was trying to forge a common future after two world wars.This was the very start of the age of mass television ownership, and Eurovision became such a fixture it is now an indelible piece of Europe's shared cultural heritage. It has no such resonance in Asia, and arrives in this region in the digital age, when traditional TV formats are struggling to cut through.Only 11 countries are taking part in this first Eurovision Asia contest – host Thailand, along with Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, South Korea, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.Asian giants India, China, Japan and Indonesia are noticeably absent, although there are negotiations ongoing to try to get them into next year's contest, assuming there is one.There have also been problems with the organisation of this event.A sudden million-dollar (£760,000) budget cut just three weeks before the final meant many of the technicians familiar with staging Eurovision were not brought to Thailand, and there have been a number of staff resignations too.Eurovision fans - and there are many passionate followers around the world - have noticed, criticising audio and lighting in rehearsal videos.