The EBU today announced that TeliaSonera would be the presenting sponsor of the Eurovision Song Contest 2007. The 52nd Song Contest will be hosted in Helsinki by the Finnish national broadcaster YLE and will include two live televised shows in one week: the Semi-Final on 10 May and the Final on 12 May 2007.

TeliaSonera, the leading telecommunications operator in the Nordic and Baltic regions, has been granted extensive pan-European event, association, media and new media rights for the upcoming events. TeliaSonera plans to launch a new mobile and broadband interactive experience for the fans.

The agreement, which is part of an international commercial and marketing platform developed by the EBU for the Eurovision Song Contest, was negotiated by T.E.A.M. (Television Event and Media Marketing AG) based in Lucerne, Switzerland. T.E.A.M. is the worldwide exclusive marketing agency for the commercial rights of the Eurovision Song Contest since 2004.

“The partnership with TeliaSonera will offer our fans a new way of experiencing the Eurovision Song Contest via their mobile phones and marks another important step in the technical and commercial development of the event. The EBU therefore welcomes TeliaSonera as the presenting sponsor of the Eurovision Song Contest 2007,” says Bjørn Erichsen, director of Eurovision TV.

Kelly Odell, senior vice-president at TeliaSonera, adds: “Over the last four years we have noticed growing customer demand regarding music via broadband and mobile services. To help meet this demand TeliaSonera now makes it possible for Eurovision Song Contest fans to participate digitally in the greatest music party of 2007.”

The Eurovision Song Contest has a rich tradition and heritage, dating back to 1956. It is one of the few truly pan-European television programmes transmitted live via the Eurovision satellite network, in prime time on free-to-air television and is watched by some 100 million viewers throughout Europe and beyond.