🇪🇸 RTVE’s budget for Spanish participation in Eurovision 2022 exceeds €600k

According to RTVE data seen by ESCplus, the Spanish broadcaster has budgeted €637,984.18 for the country’s participation in the 2022 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. This total figure is 3.4% higher than the budget for 2021.

Budget breakdown

RTVE’s Eurovision 2022 budget is largely accounted for by external resource costs, totalling €543,942.44. This includes €302,156.84 for broadcasting fees paid to the EBU for the right to broadcast the contest, which make up almost half of the total budget, and are €10,000 higher than in 2021.

The next most costly categories in the budget for external expenses are artistic (€69,300), equipment rental (€52,500), staff per diems/accommodation (€36,956), international broadcasting (€25,000), and set/costumes (€24,000). These figures are similar to those in last year’s equivalent budget categories. Incidentally, this year marks the first time that RTVE is broadcasting the semi-finals internationally since 2010. Smaller expenses such as transport and legal fees constitute the rest of the budget for external resources.

This year’s budget for internal resources amounts to €94,041.74, split between technical personnel (€82,559.84, up on last year’s €66,295) and technical equipment (€11,481.90, down on 2021’s €12,847).

Final 2022 expenditure to be confirmed

While RTVE’s Eurovision budget for 2021 totalled €617,000, we know only €475,000 was actually spent, making Blas Cantó’s “Voy a quedarme” Spain’s cheapest entry since 2015. By contrast, Miki Núñez’s 2019 candidacy with “La venda” was Spain’s most expensive to date, costing the broadcaster €782,000. It remains to be seen how much of the €637,984.18 budgeted for Chanel’s 2022 entry “SloMo” will end up being used.

About Spain in Eurovision 2022

Cuban-Spanish singer Chanel was selected to represent Spain at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest following her victory at Benidorm Fest earlier in the year. The live final of Spain’s national selection was watched in its entirety by nearly three million viewers, breaking an audience record for TVE’s La 1, on 29th January.

Spain’s Eurovision journey

Spain debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961 with Conchita Bautista’s “Estando Contigo.” The country earned its first win in 1968 with Massiel’s “La La La,” and won again in 1969 with Salome’s “Vivo Cantando” in an infamous four-way tie. Although Spain has yet to win since the ’60s, the nation has earned several second-place finishes, most famously with Mocedades’ “Eres tu” in 1973 and Anabel Conde’s “Vuelve conmigo” in 1996.

Spain has been less successful in recent years. Although it achieved two 10th place finishes in 2012 and 2014, the country has not finished above 20th place since 2015, including one last place in 2017. Spain finished 24th at the 2021 contest with six points from the jury and no televote points.

What are your opinions on Spain’s ESC 2022 budget? Do you think the expense is worth it? Let us know in the comments or on social media. Be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: EBU

Photo Source: EBU/Corinne Cumming