From IN-NAZZJON - Monday 27th May, 2002
Well Done Ira
Ira Losco together with the whole Maltese team honoured Malta in Tallinn. She achieved the best result ever for Malta in the Eurovision. She taught us, as did the others before her, that even we Maltese are talented and have what we need to compete. She also taught us the need for promotion and marketing of Maltese talent. We should be proud and be happy with placing second from all the competing countries last Saturday and from others which did not even qualify.
The best result without any disappointments
Malta has achieved one of the best results. We did not lose anything but won the next best place near the first. We surpassed whoever came after us with more than 50 points. We have to also make it clear: we never were first. Before the results came out, Malta had already placed second even before Cyprus started with their results. The way in which the results came out was only a way to keep the audience on their toes. This way was just as if the results for a general election are published accoring to district. The order in which results are published would result in the party placing second being first at times if it has strong following in those particular districts. This does not however mean that at any one time this party would be winning because the actual result would have been established at the moment when the people have finished casting their votes. So, Ira Losco's result is the best because Malta did well, even better that most countries who competed on Saturday and others which did not qualify.
Other than placing second
Although there is no doubt that we are a small country with a small population, we balance out by our talent and our work. When we want to compete and we expect nothing from no one except our effort, we can compete with anyone. This is exactly what the Eurovision showed. At the beginning when we used to participate we used to be happy with our participation other than the result obtained. Then there was a time in which we did not participate, by a political decision which now everyone should realise that it was a wrong decision which did no good to our country even if only for promoting our country. When we started participating again, the organisation after the local festival for choosing the song for Europe got bigger, and we did our efforts with the help of foreign agencies, and we placed well on many occasions. A lot of Maltese singers placed high, Mary Spiteri and Chiara placed third and now Ira Losco achieved the best success ever for our country in the Eurovision by placing second.
The need for promotion together with talent
Ira Losco gave an impeccable interpretation in front of a huge audience yesterday. She had a song which was expected to place high from the beginning. All those who helped with the preparations did a very good job. The audience was enthusiastic and she received a very long applause after her interpretation. However, the modern concept of media and the public vote in many participating countries meant that there is a need for good marketing both of the song and the singer. This is what has been successfully done by Ira Losco's team. This is another lesson which should be taken from the Eurovision and which many times we in Malta do not do. We produce genuine and good products and we wrap them wrongly. Together with talent, we need promotion and marketing so as to be able to let others form a good opinion about Malta and what we have to offer.
Thank you and well done to Ira and all the Maltese team.
You did us proud. We are very much looking forward and awaiting your home
coming back to Malta this afternoon.
© 2001-2005 Ilenia D'Ambrogio (unless otherwise stated)
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