KYIV, UKRAINE – The 2013 Junior Eurovision Song Contest has seen poor ratings in many participating nations. The event from Kiev did particularly poorly in Russia which was one of the strongest viewing markets when it came to JESC. The show was watched by only 0.8%, dropping from 11.3% of total viewers from a year ago.
Ratings also fell in Sweden and the Netherlands. In Sweden only 121.000 people tuned in to watch the show, down from over a million when it launched in 2004. The Netherlands, which hosted the show last year, saw 642.000 people tune in, a decrease from over 800.000 viewers which watched in 2012. In FYR Macedonia viewing rates also declined, though only by 0.6% compared to their last participation in 2011.
Bucking the trend was Moldova which saw ratings improve this year. The show was watched by 7.6% of all people tuned to their television screens, up by 0.6%. Poor viewing rates have plagued the contest in recent years.
