Geneva, 27 December, 2010 – Europe’s appreciation of classical music seems to be on the rise with viewing figures increasing each year for the world’s most prestigious classical musical concert: the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra’s New Year’s Concert.

The European Broadcasting Union, who offers the concert to its Members all over Europe and beyond reports that Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland and the UK all saw rising viewing figures.  The leader of the charts is Norway whose viewership rose 3% to  an outstanding 59% in 2010. 

“This figures show the New Year’s tradition is still alive and well and is actually growing in popularity”  comments Jørgen Franck, Eurovision TV Director a.i., at the EBU.  He continues “This year the EBU is bringing the most watched annual classical music concert on TV to over 40 countries in  Europe”.

The Austrian public broadcaster ORF produces the New Year’s Concert.

The EBU signed a four year distribution agreement in 2009 for the TV and radio broadcast rights with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra for a package of three classical concerts which includes the New Year’s Day concert, the annual Summer Night Concert at Schönbrunn Vienna and a third special concert in different international locations yearly. This year the special concert was held in Ljubljana, Slovenia by public broadcaster, RTVSLO.

The concert will be broadcast to 43 EBU Member broadcasters including; Albania (RTSH), Andorra (RTVA), Austria (ORF), Belgium (RTBF & VRT), Bosnia Herzegovina (BHRT), Bulgaria (BNT), Croatia (HRT), Cyprus (CYBC), Czech Republic (CT), Denmark (DR), Egypt (ERTU), Estonia (ERR), Finland (YLE), France (FR2), Georgia (GTVR), Germany (ZDF), Greece (ERT), Hungary (MTV), Iceland (RUV), Italy (RAI), Japan (NHK), Kosovo (RTK), Latvia (LTV), Lebanon (LBTL), Lithuania (LRT), Macedonia (MKRTV), Moldova (TRM), Montenegro (RTCG), Netherlands (NOS), Norway (NRK), Poland (TVP2), Portugal (RTP), Romania (TVR), Russia (KTVC), Serbia (RTS), Slovenia (RTVSLO), Spain (RTVE), Sweden (SVT), Switzerland (SF, TSI & TSR), Turkey (TRT) and UK (BBC).

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Note to Editors:

* The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) serves 86 national media organizations in 56 countries in and around Europe. It promotes the values and distinctiveness of public service media in Europe and around the world. It brings news, sports, events and music to your home through the Eurovision and Euroradio networks. The EBU develops and shares best practices, media expertise and innovation. It produces and exchanges rich and diverse programmes across all media.

** Eurovision TV collaboration at the EBU offers its Members a unique platform to exchange programme ideas and best practices resulting in high-quality coproductions in all genres including animation series, music & dance, documentary, science & education, fiction, and of course the annual mega-show, the Eurovision Song Contest.