The voting system for the Melodifestivalen 2019 will change, confirmed the contest producer Christer Björkman. The purpose is to make weight of the phone voices more even with the free voices in the app.
In recent years there has been criticism of SVT's voting system in the Melodifestivalen. Usually, phone and SMS vote were available for a fee, but in 2015 an app was also introduced, allowing viewers to vote for up to five times on each entry free of charge. This has coincided with the viewers' votes in the finals spread very evenly across the board in 2018, for example, there was difference of only 1.1% points between viewers top 5 thus giving the international jury greater power over the outcome.
"Yes, there are changes planned, but I can not answer when they will be communicated. But definitely, adjustments are being made", says Christer Björkman. On the other hand he does not believe that the changes will affect even distribution of the votes. "I'm afraid that, as we have a more even quality of music, the result will be more even. People vote for what they like, and they like different things"
The change in the voting system is done to access a different problem, says Christer Björkman, although he does not want to specify exactly what the change looks like. "What we addressed when we did the system is that every voice should be worth as much. Five votes in the app should not be more worth compared to the phone votes. There will be adjustments that will make huge difference".
Another news is that SVT will now be able to chart who votes on what, says Christer Björkman. "We will be able to kill the rumour that there are children who control the competition. We already know that the elderly vote in principle like the younger ones, only when you grow older you do not stop voting for young music. We will be able to show that now", reports Dagens Nyheter.
Sweden page:
http://esckaz.com/2019/swe.htm