The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), in association with Channel One Russia (previously known as ORT), is to coordinate an international television contest to send a member of the public into space for the first time ever. 

EBU Member broadcasters from 11 European countries, all members of the International Space Station (ISS) project, are being offered the exclusive right to join Channel One Russia in this historic, € 25 million production, which will end with the successful contestant spending one week on the ISS in October 2003. 

The broadcasters and the 11 countries are Belgium (RTBF, VRT), Denmark (DR, TV2), France (TF1, FR2, FR3, Canal Plus), Germany (ARD, ZDF), Italy (RAI), the Netherlands (NBP/ NPS), Norway (NRK/ TV2), Spain (RTVE), Sweden (SVT) and Switzerland (DRS, TSI, TSR) and United Kingdom (BBC, ITV, Channel Four UK). 

The EBU and Channel One are also extending an invitation to EBU associate Members in Japan (also a member of the ISS) to join this international coproduction including NHK, TV Asahi, Fuji TV, NTV, TBS and the National Association of Commercial Broadcasters (Japan). 

Each participating broadcaster will send a national contestant to live in a specially designed, “Big Brother” style house at Star City outside Moscow, during which they will undergo three months full cosmonaut training. Contestants will be filmed around the clock, for a series of weekly programmes, showing how they cope with the mental and physical challenges of the training. 

The project will culminate in a live international transmission next October for the selection of the overall winner and the immediate launch of the Soyuz rocket to the ISS. This programming would have a potential audience of more than 600 million viewers. 

Channel One Russia has signed a contract to buy a place on a Soyuz space craft each year for the next five years to promote an annual competition, which will showcase Russia’s achievements in space travel. 

Bjørn Erichsen, Director of Television at the EBU, said the European Broadcasting Union was honoured to have been chosen by Channel One Russia to coordinate this important, international, coproduction:

“This project will take reality-TV formats to new heights. It will be educational as well as entertaining, and a trip to the International Space Station is the ultimate prize. There have been a number of ideas expressed, along the same lines in recent months, but only Channel One Russia has the position and contacts to make it happen. Channel One has made the financial commitment to secure the seat, and has had the foresight to open the competition to the international community. The EBU brings its worldwide membership, international infrastructure and global satellite network to the project.”

For further information contact:
Sarah Yuen
Executive Project Manager - Live Events
Tel: +41 (0)22 717 2412
yuen@ebu.ch

Aline Bussat Ingwersen
Media Officer
Tel: +41 (0)22 717 2038
ingwersen@ebu.ch