Photo via BBC News

RTÉ boycotts Eurovision for second year in a row

Read the original at BBC News ↗
Cite

BBC News. (2026, September 17). RTÉ boycotts Eurovision for second year in a row. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqde04len22wo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

BBC News · collected 2026-09-17 · by BBC News

Quick Summary

Irish broadcaster RTÉ has announced that it will not participate in or broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest for the second consecutive year due to concerns over Israel’s involvement and its impact on Gaza. Last year’s decision was based on RTÉ's stance against Israel participating amid the conflict in Gaza, which they view as a humanitarian crisis causing civilian casualties. RTÉ remains concerned about restrictions placed on international journalists accessing the region. The 2027 contest will be held in Burgas, Bulgaria, from May 11 to May 15, with the Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS also confirming its boycott over similar concerns.
Written by AI on 2026-09-17, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

RTÉ, Ireland's national broadcaster, announced on Thursday that Ireland will boycott the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest for a second consecutive year due to Israel's participation, citing the ongoing conflict in Gaza. RTÉ stated that "the appalling and ongoing loss of lives" in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis make Ireland's involvement unjustified, adding they also won't broadcast the event scheduled for May 2027 in Burgas, Bulgaria. The broadcaster expressed deep concern over the lack of independent access for international journalists to the conflict zone. This decision follows similar actions by other countries like the Netherlands, Iceland, Slovenia, and Spain during the previous contest. Eurovision's director Martin Green said while he regrets Ireland’s withdrawal, he respects RTÉ's choice and acknowledges their significant contribution to the event over the years.

Written for “Ireland Eurovision Boycott 2027” on 2026-11-01, grounded in this article and the 6 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Ireland Eurovision Boycott 2027
Politics · 7 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 25% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Ireland says it will boycott Eurovision for a second year due to Gaza Same event
Daily Mail
⚖️ Leans left Hedges 3 of 47 claims Outlet record 68/100
Ireland will boycott Eurovision 2027, RTE says Same event
The Straits Times
Hedges 1 of 9 claims Outlet record 66/100
Ireland will not participate in Eurovision in 2027, RTÉ announces Same event
Evening Standard
Hedges 0 of 10 claims Outlet record 65/100
Ireland to boycott Eurovision again over ongoing deaths in Gaza Same event
The Guardian
Hedges 3 of 21 claims Outlet record 66/100
Ireland will boycott 2027 Eurovision Song Contest for 2nd year over Israel's participation Same event
CBC News
Hedges 1 of 5 claims Outlet record 74/100
Ireland boycotts Eurovision for second year over Israel’s inclusion Same event
Al Jazeera
⚖️ Leans left Hedges 3 of 17 claims Outlet record 60/100
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
16
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
25%
4 of 16 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
withheld
no quote in the article backed the model's score
Publisher signals
68/100
BBC News's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
7
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-17 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

BBC News · 4799 article(s) · 6 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 6 correction(s)
2026-10-30
Manhunt under way for Tennessee killer who escaped prison through a fence
2026-10-20
'The French correction' and 'Labour cuts £2bn from Army'
2026-10-16
Sean 'Diddy' Combs moved to low-security facility in Pennsylvania
2026-10-06
Five reasons India's stock market is sinking even when its economy is growing
2026-10-03
Tennessee prison chief to resign after Christa Pike's failed execution, governor says
2026-09-21
Watch: BBC tracks down abusive teacher secretly released early

Who wrote this

BBC News
203 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 He warned that "things will not go back to the way they were," adding that the US had made clear it will no longer "bankroll" its European allies.
2026-10-31 · assertive framing · Europe can no longer rely on US to 'bankroll' its defence, Starmer says
🔮 In the context of reindustrialisation, Burnham added this could be more devolution of innovation funding.
2026-10-30 · assertive framing · 'No nation left behind' says Burnham after meeting first ministers in Glasgow
🔮 Richardson was also convicted of dangerous driving and will return to Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court to be sentenced on Monday.
2026-10-30 · assertive framing · Murderer dragged head teacher to his death in car
🔮 But Alfred Stewart had become a quick-tempered man, suffering from what would now be called post traumatic stress.
2026-10-29 · assertive framing · Sir Patrick Stewart: Actor who moved effortlessly between Star Trek and Shakespeare
🔮 "We must firmly demand that the international community impose concrete sanctions against Rwanda and exert increased pressure, so that we may finally secure a lasting peace in our country," he said.
2026-10-29 · assertive framing · US sanctions Rwanda's defence ministry over DR Congo conflict
🔮 But if you were in the castle, which star would you play like?
2026-10-29 · assertive framing · Take our Celebrity Traitors quiz to find out which star you would be in this year's show
🔮 This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
2026-10-28 · assertive framing · Tommy Robinson guilty of harassing two Daily Mail journalists
🔮 - Published Rapper Jay-Z will perform at the Super Bowl half-time show in February, the NFL has announced.
2026-10-27 · assertive framing · Jay-Z to perform at Super Bowl half-time show
🔮 Preliminary figures provided by Serbia's election commission indicated a record high turnout, which commentators had suggested would favour the student movement.
2026-10-25 · assertive framing · Serbia's Vučić concedes election defeat to student-led protest movement
🔮 Studies suggest that predictions of future crime hotspots may be based on biased data, which can magnify existing prejudice and create a dangerous feedback loop.
2026-10-25 · assertive framing · Police using AI risks making discrimination worse, researchers warn
Wire or desk byline, not an individual reporter.
Also by BBC News
The Papers: 'PM lets down the King' and 'Kenny's secret night at Maya's'
2026-11-01 · BBC News
Europe can no longer rely on US to 'bankroll' its defence, Starmer says
2026-10-31 · BBC News
The Papers: 'Rush to recover stolen $6bn' and 'War on wind farms'
2026-10-31 · BBC News
'No nation left behind' says Burnham after meeting first ministers in Glasgow
2026-10-30 · BBC News
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 203 articles by BBC News →

Topics

Gaza Ireland Israel RTÉ Vienna

Subjects

Gaza GPE · 4× Israel GPE · 4× RTÉ ORG · 4× Ireland GPE · 3× Bulgaria GPE · 2× Hamas ORG · 2× Israeli NORP · 2× Vienna GPE · 2× Irish NORP · 1× the European Broadcasting Union ORG · 1×

Narrative

In a statement they said: "RTÉ feels that Ireland's participation cannot be justified given the appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk."
framing: mixed · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-17
🔮 - Published Irish broadcaster RTÉ will not broadcast or participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest.
2026-09-17 · BBC News
RTÉ boycotts Eurovision for second year in a row · mixed framing

Claims (16 extracted, 4 hedged)

- Published Irish broadcaster RTÉ will not broadcast or participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest. asserted
RTÉ → publish → Contest
It is the second year in a row that the broadcaster has not participated in the competition. asserted
broadcaster → participate → competition
In 2026, RTÉ withdrew from the 2026 contest in Vienna, after the European Broadcasting Union confirmed that Israeli public broadcaster KAN would be allowed to take part. asserted
KAN → withdraw → part
In a statement they said: "RTÉ feels that Ireland's participation cannot be justified given the appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk." asserted
which → say → risk
Last year Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia boycotted the Eurovision Song Contest, after it was decided Israel could compete. uncertain
Israel → boycott → Contest
RTÉ added that they also remain "deeply concerned by the continued denial of independent access to international journalists to the territory". asserted
they → add → territory
Ireland has won the competition seven times between 1970 and 1996, a joint record holder alongside Sweden. asserted
Ireland → win → Sweden
The 2027 contest will take place in Burgas, Bulgaria, with the Grand Final being held at the Arena Burgas on 15 May. uncertain
Final → take → May
The semi-finals will take place on 11 and 13 May. uncertain
finals → take → May
Bulgaria earned the right to host the contest after DARA won Eurovision 2026 in Vienna with Bangaranga, the country's first victory in the competition. asserted
DARA → earn → competition
Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS has also said it will not participate in Eurovision 2027. asserted
it → say → Eurovision
It said the competition can no longer be considered neutral while a participating country remains involved in a large-scale military conflict. asserted
country → say → conflict
Israel rejects allegations of genocide. asserted
Israel → reject → genocide
It says its troops conduct self-defence operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank in accordance with international law. asserted
troops → say → law
The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to an unprecedented Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage. asserted
251 → launch → which
During Israel's military campaign in Gaza more than 73,780 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the UN. uncertain
figures → kill → UN
💬Give feedback
🕘History 🎫Support
Terms · Privacy · beta v2.0.0
Articles to 1 Nov 2026