The numbers are in, and Russian viewers prefer Eurovision to its replacement, Intervision
Judging by the numbers, Russia’s Eurovision alternative has some work to do before it rivals the song contest it’s meant to replace. According to the ratings, Intervision drew 6.7 million television viewers and 17 million online views in Russia — significantly fewer than the audience for Eurovision’s last Russian broadcast in 2021, which attracted 29 million viewers. The news outlet Agentstvo reported that the contest aired at prime time in Russia but struggled with inconvenient scheduling across other participating countries.
Intervision represents Moscow’s attempt to create a rival music competition after Eurovision banned Russian participation following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The 2021 Eurovision final reached one in five Russians, according to data from Channel One.
On Monday, the state news agency TASS initially reported that Intervision attracted 4 billion viewers around the globe. The outlet later changed its headline to state: “Intervision Broadcast Was Available to 4 Billion Viewers Worldwide.”
