ESC goes Potty

Showing just how complex you can make picking semi-finalists at "random" - the EBU has announced it will select nations from pre-allocated pots. The pots are basically the blocs we all know and loathe - Tito is re-born in Pot 1, the Scandavians are mostly in Pot2, Greece and Cyprus share Pot 3 with Turkey, most of the former Soviet nations are in Pot 5.

• Step 1 - Because of the odd numbers, two envelopes one containing the words 'Semi-Final 1' and the other 'Semi-Final 2' will be drawn.
• Step 2 - The pots will be split in half 'randomly' with half of each pot going to the first semi-final and the other three in the second one.
• Step 3 - The left over nation in Pot 5 and Pot 6 will then select the envelopes from Step 1.

The Big Four and Serbia (the five nations in the Final) can broadcast both semi-finals or just one, but the viewers from their countries can only vote in one. The Big Four will be forced to vote in one of the semis - which will also be drawn. Whether the BBC will broadcast the other semi is not known - which means it is unclear if SBS will show both semi finals in Australia (or either!). NOTE: All semi-finals will be webcast live through Eurovision.tv.
Joining the five finalists will be the top nine finishers from both semi finals - PLUS - a tenth will be determined by the back-up juries! The EBU is gonna make sure the favourites get through! The draw for the semi-finals will take place at the Belgrade City Hall on Monday 28 January 2008.

Pot 1		Pot 2	Pot 3
Albania Bosnia & Herzegovina Croatia FY Macedonia Montenegro Slovenia		Denmark Estonia Finland Iceland Norway Sweden	Belgium Bulgaria Cyprus Greece Netherlands Turkey
Pot 4		Pot 5	Pot 6
Andorra Ireland Latvia Lithuania Portugal Romania		Armenia Belarus Georgia Israel Moldova Russia Ukraine	Azerbaijan Czech Republic Hungary Malta Poland San Marino Switzerland