Eurovision Song Contest 2007: World’s Biggest Song Contest coordinated with Riedel Artist Intercoms

On May 12, 2007, Helsinki’s Hartwall Arena hosted the 52nd Eurovision Song Contest (ESC). Taking place in Finland for the first time, the 2007 contest was the biggest ever with record-breaking 42 participating countries, 10,000 spectators, and a TV audience of over 120 million viewers. Both the semi-final and final were transmitted live by 42 broadcasters over the Eurovision network across Europe and internationally, reaching as far as Australia.

The contest, being both a live concert and an international TV production, not only set new standards in sound, lighting, and HD-TV production, but also regarding the communication system. As event and television productions grow more complex the communications infrastructure becomes more important to ensure the coordination of the production. The communication demands for the 2007 ESC – literally the world’s biggest song contest – were enormous because of both the flexibility needed for big live event productions and the demands of complex TV production. "Without proper communications technologies in the background modern productions like this Song Contest are inconceivable. This was the first time I worked with digital Riedel technology and the communication infrastructure made an enormous difference in the live-situation. Changes in the demands didn’t result in changes in the cabling or set-up, but needed only a few clicks with the mouse in the configuration software," said Matti Helkamaa, Technical Manager for audio at the ESC 2007.

Decentralized system saved cabling
Using seven fibre-networked Riedel Artist digital intercom matrix systems, Riedel Communications was able to place one frame at the stage area, one at the FOH area, one at the greenroom and two at the MCR area. The installation also included the Artist 128 and Artist 64 mainframes from Prisma’s HD-1 mobile TV production truck which served the host broadcaster Finnish Broadcasting Cooperation YLE. All seven Artist intercom systems were connected over a redundant fibre ring to form a single large, non-blocking matrix environment. “This decentralized set-up allowed us to put the systems where they were needed and still have unlimited access to all of the ports. Savings in cabling and set-up time were the result”, explained Simon Korzen, project manager with Riedel Communications.

Seamless integration of matrix and partyline intercom
The matrix intercom system, which featured a total of 95 Artist 1000 series control panels, was seamlessly integrated with Riedel’s Performer digital partyline systems. This combination of Artist and Performer offers a completely integrated solution for combining of matrix systems with conventional partyline applications. The partylines were connected to the matrix via 9 Performer C44 system interfaces. The interfaces supplied the beltpack-lines with power and enabled the smooth incorporation of the partyline system into the matrix environment. The partylines, consisting of 35 Riedel digital C3 2-channel beltpacks, were daisy-chained via microphone cables in the same way that analogue beltpacks would be connected. C3 Split-boxes allowed flexible distribution of the partylines. The configuration of the partylines was programmed using drag-and-drop in the intuitive configuration software Director. This Windows application enabled central programming and monitoring of the entire communication system, including matrix and partyline intercoms.

Superior audio quality made a difference
In order to ensure optimal communications in the high noise environment of a live-event, Riedel’s MAX Headsets with excellent attenuation features were attached to each panel, beltpack and radio. They provided optimal audio and hassle-free communications for camera-men, crane operators, follow-spots and the judges.
"The superior audio quality of the digital beltpacks in combination with Riedel’s sound-absorbing MAX Headsets provided crystal clear speech quality that I had never experienced before. Noise and humming, which in analogue products are always present, were gone and this clearly made the work less tiring", stated Helkamaa.

Professional Mobile Radios from Motorola
The wireless communications solution for the installation was supported with the proven quality of professional radios from Motorola. Riedel Communications, also one of the world’s largest rental companies for professional radio equipment, provided more than 200 radios – all equipped with the motorsports-proven MAX headsets. The radio installation offered 24 radio channels for mobile communication and was connected with the matrix installation by 20 Riedel RiFace radio interfaces.

Fibre Rental Services
In addition to the intercom and radio installations Riedel Communications also provided the fibre-infrastructure for all aspects of the event. Riedel’s engineers laid about 6.5 kilometres of fibre to serve as the event’s audio backbone, primarily used by LAWO’s audio routing system and Riedel’s intercom installation. “The fibre installation Riedel provided for this event was outstanding”, concluded Helkamaa.

Next Eurovision Song Contest in Serbia
The Serbain artist Marija Serifovic won the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest with 268 points that she earned with her song “Molitva”, written by Saša Miloševic Mare and composed by Vladimir Graic. Viewers from the 42 participating countries were able to vote for their favourite song through a pan-European televoting system developed and operated on behalf of the European Broadcasting Union by German telecom provider, Digame/Deutsche Telekom. Following tradition, the next (2008) contest will be held in the home country of the previous year’s winner, in this case Serbia.