MOS2S results win the '2020 Dutch Eurovision Song Contest Innovation Challenge'

On 16 May 2020, the Eurovision song contest will be organised in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. In order to enhance the experience for viewers and fans during the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC2020), the Dutch public broadcasting organisation NPO with AVROTROS, NOS and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) launched the '2020 Dutch Eurovision Song Contest Innovation Challenge'.

Organisations that have a solution to enhance the online experience of viewers and fans or a solution that supports or enhances the production of online content before and during the Eurovision Song Contest were invited to participate in this competition.

The innovation challenge around the Eurovision Song Contest led to an overwhelming response from the international tech world. The entries varied enormously in terms of services and technology: from URL-shorteners and hashtag generators to 8K virtual reality and AI. A total of 209 solutions from 39 countries were submitted, with ten being shortlisted and invited to present their solution and talk to experts from the parties involved in the organisation of ESC2020. Among those ten, three solutions resulted from the ITEA MOS2S project: from TNO, Kiswe and TiledMedia.

Eventually on 30 September, three finalists were selected to actually implement their solution for the Eurovision Song Contest, and two of these three solutions derived from the MOS2S project:

• Kiswe Mobile (BE): Traditionally, every country has one TV signal made for that country. With Kiswe Mobile, a large number of customised streams aimed at different target groups can be made, with the choice of different commentators, such as social media influencers, who seek interaction with the public and can show the results in the stream.
• TNO (NL): TNO provides UltraWide Viewing. UWV records the show with special cameras and gives a very high resolution view of the entire stage where the performances take place and can be projected at full size on large screens, for example in cinemas and at other event locations so that the audience can experience the performance as if they were there themselves.

Sceenic (UK) was the third winner. Its solution lets friends and family see and hear each other by using live real-time video chat perfectly synchronised with the livestream of the show so that they can share those essential moments together.

Each winner received up to € 35,000 to help realise their application in the coming period. The organisation will ultimately decide whether the developed application goes into production and will be connected to the live show. And of course, if that happens, being officially associated with the Eurovision Song Contest will give the winners worldwide exposure. We congratulate MOS2S, and especially Kiswe Mobile and TNO, on this great achievement and we wish them good luck with the realisation of their applications!