After yet another disappointing performance in the Eurovision Song Contest, where Denmark failed to qualify for the final, several Danish newspapers are now sharply criticizing DR (Danmarks Radio) for their handling of the national Melodi Grand Prix (Eurovision selection). The criticism comes in the wake of the fact that the Danish participant, Saba, with the song “Sand” did not advance from the semi-final held in Malmö. Politiken expresses in a comment that DR’s efforts indicate a lack of both ambition and talent. “If Eurovision was football, the Danish coach would have been fired long ago,” the newspaper compares, highlighting the dissatisfaction felt about the Danish performance. Berlingske follows up with similar criticism and urges DR to “rethink” how Denmark should perform in the competition in the future. The newspaper describes it as a “total meltdown” and points out that the songs that advanced will at least be remembered, unlike “the little sand that needed to be swept off the stage” after Saba’s performance. Ekstra Bladet is also critical and suggests that the performance was forgettable and did not make a lasting impression on either the audience or the jury.
DR itself has acknowledged that Denmark is now the country that has gone the longest without reaching the final in Eurovision, adding to the frustration and demands for an improved effort going forward. This overall criticism from the Danish media points to a need for DR to reevaluate and possibly restructure their approach to the Eurovision Song Contest if Denmark is to hope for better results in the future.