Marcel Bezençon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marcel Bezençon
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Bezençon (right) congratulates Johnny Logan after winning the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest
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| President of the European Broadcasting Union | |
| In office 1955–1970 |
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| Personal details | |
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Marcel Bezençon
1 May 1907 Orbe, Switzerland |
| Died | 17 February 1981 (aged 73) Lausanne, Switzerland |
Marcel Bezençon (born May 1, 1907 – died February 17, 1981) was a very important person from Switzerland. He was a journalist, which means he wrote for newspapers. He was also a media executive, meaning he was a leader in radio and television companies. Marcel Bezençon is most famous for creating the idea of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1955. This popular music competition was inspired by the well-known Sanremo Music Festival in Italy.
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Marcel Bezençon: The Man Behind Eurovision
Marcel Bezençon was a key figure in the world of broadcasting. He served as the director of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) from 1954 to 1970. The EBU is an organization that helps public broadcasters across Europe work together. His biggest idea was to start a song contest that would bring countries together through music.
Early Life and Career
Marcel Bezençon studied art history at the University of Lausanne and graduated in 1932. After finishing his studies, he started working as a freelance critic, writing about art and theater. Later, he became an editor for a newspaper called Feuille d'Avis.
In 1939, he joined Radio suisse romande (RSR), a Swiss radio station, and became its director. He held this position until 1950. After that, he became the Director-General of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR), which is the national public broadcasting organization of Switzerland. He worked there until 1972. From 1963 to 1972, Bezençon was also a member of the board of directors for the Swiss Telegraphic Agency (SDA ATS), a news agency.
The Eurovision Song Contest Idea
In 1955, Marcel Bezençon came up with the idea for the Eurovision Song Contest. He wanted to create a live television show that would be broadcast simultaneously across many European countries. This would help unite Europe after World War II and test new television technologies. The first contest took place in 1956, and it quickly became a huge success, growing into one of the world's longest-running television programs.
The Marcel Bezençon Awards
To honor his important contribution, the Marcel Bezençon Awards were created in 2002. These awards are given out each year during the Eurovision Song Contest. They recognize the best songs and artists in different categories. The awards were founded by Christer Björkman, who won Melodifestivalen and represented Sweden in Eurovision in 1992, and Richard Herrey, who won both Melodifestivalen and Eurovision in 1984 as part of the group Herreys.
