Story perspectives

Today in History: EBU greenlights inaugural Eurovision Song Contest

By Drooid · Oct 19, 2026, 10:34 AM UTC · How we work

19 3

Summary

Story summary

On 19 October, the European Broadcasting Union’s General Assembly approved the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest, set to debut in 1956. Founded in 1950, the EBU—a coalition of public-service broadcasters—adopted Sergio Pugliese’s concept, refined by Marcel Bezençon and modeled on Italy’s Sanremo Festival, launching the now-global competition.

1 of 1

Story summary

On 19 October, the European Broadcasting Union’s General Assembly approved the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest, set to debut in 1956. Founded in 1950, the EBU—a coalition of public-service broadcasters—adopted Sergio Pugliese’s concept, refined by Marcel Bezençon and modeled on Italy’s Sanremo Festival, launching the now-global competition.