BASEL, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 15, 2025--
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, the leading media services provider for live entertainment and sports worldwide, today announced it is delivering a full range of broadcast solutions for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. This marks the sixth consecutive year NEP is the official media services provider for Eurovision, one of the world’s most-watched broadcast events.
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Hosted this year in Basel, Switzerland from May 13-17, the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 is produced by Swiss national broadcaster SRG SSR in partnership with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). NEP has been trusted with ensuring the seamless execution of all broadcast operations, providing OB facilities, specialty capture solutions, technical crew and its award-winning TFC broadcast orchestration platform, the industry’s trusted IP 2110 management system proven on the world’s biggest events.
To meet the demands of this large-scale production, NEP Europe has mobilized equipment and crew from across its European network, including from Switzerland, Sweden, The Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Belgium, and the UK.
“We’re incredibly proud to continue supporting the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with our technical expertise and innovation,” said Lise Heidal, President of NEP Europe. “This event is not only a celebration of music and culture, but also a testament to what can be achieved when the best of European broadcast talent comes together. Every year, we push the boundaries of what’s technically possible in live production and this year is no exception.
“The deployment of our TFC platform has been a game-changer, allowing us to streamline signal management and reduce rigging and setup time dramatically. It’s this kind of software-defined flexibility that allows us to deliver complex live events with greater efficiency and reliability than ever before.”
NEP’s Eurovision 2025 media services delivery includes:
NEP’s TFC broadcast platform managing IP in Eurovision broadcast compound
A key technological enabler for this year’s production is NEP’s TFC broadcast orchestration platform. Designed to empower engineering and production teams by making IP technology fast and easy-to-use, TFC is a powerful, software-defined infrastructure management solution that streamlines control and signal routing across complex live environments.
By using TFC, NEP is able to strengthen the traditional baseband infrastructure with the benefits of ST 2110, making the system more scalable, dynamic, and easier to monitor. This also enables NEP to constantly monitor the entire contribution and distribution of all signals involved in the Eurovision production on a dashboard, receiving notifications when parameters are not met. The result is a faster setup, increased flexibility, and more sustainable and efficient resource deployment, all critical advantages for an event of this scale and visibility.
Axel Engström, Project Manager Eurovision 2025 for NEP, says: “Delivering a production of this scale is only possible thanks to the enormous team effort from everyone involved. From logistics and engineering to onsite operations, it's been a true cross-border collaboration across our NEP teams in Europe. We also have the privilege of working closely with SRG SSR and the EBU, whose professionalism and partnership are outstanding. Together, we share the passion for delivering world-class television.”
Creative Technology, part of NEP Group, is also once again an Official Technical Supplier, delivering all LED solutions on and around the stage.
Visit nepgroup.com to learn more about NEP’s media services and vision for connected production solutions powered by TFC.
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About NEP
NEP is the world’s most trusted media services partner for live sports and entertainment. With a global network of experts, cutting-edge technology, and an expansive portfolio of customer-driven, innovative solutions, we empower our customers to tell their stories in breakthrough ways.
With operations in 25 countries, we’ve supported thousands of major productions and events on every continent with excellence and reliability. See how we bring content to life at nepgroup.com.
NEP camera operator Tomas Antonsson, left, follows a rehearsal performance from Claude, the singer-songwriter for the Netherlands at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo: Alma Bengtsson/EBU)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Auckland was the first major city to ring in 2026 with a fireworks display launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower, followed by a defiant celebration in Australia in the aftermath of its worst mass shooting.
South Pacific countries were the first to bid farewell to 2025. Clocks stuck midnight in Auckland 18 hours before the famous ball drop in New York’s Times Square. The five-minute display involved 3,500 fireworks.
Australia’s east coast welcomed 2026 two hours after New Zealand. In Sydney, the country's largest city, celebrations were held under the pall of Australia’s worst mass shooting in almost 30 years. Two gunmen targeted a Hannukah celebration at Bondi Beach on Dec. 14, killing 15 and wounding 40.
A heavy police presence monitored the thousands who thronged to the waterfront to watch a fireworks show centered on the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Many officers openly carried rapid-fire rifles, a first for the annual event.
An hour before midnight, the massacre victims were commemorated with a minute of silence while images of a menorah were projected on the bridge pylons. The crowd was invited to show solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns urged Sydney residents not to stay away through fear, saying extremists would interpret smaller crowds at New Year’s Eve festivities as a victory.
“We have to show defiance in the face of this terrible crime and say that we’re not going to be cowered by this kind of terrorism,” he said.
In Indonesia, one of Australia’s nearest neighbors, cities scaled back festivities as a gesture of solidarity with communities devastated by floods and landslides that struck parts of Sumatra island a month ago, claiming more than 1,100 lives.
The capital, Jakarta, was not ringing in 2026 with its usual fanfare, choosing subdued celebrations with a program centered on prayers for victims, city Gov. Pramono Anung said last week.
Makassar Mayor Munafri Arifuddin urged residents of one of Indonesia’s largest cities to forgo parties, calling for prayer and reflection. "Empathy and restraint are more meaningful than fireworks and crowds,” he said.
Concerts and fireworks on Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali were canceled and replaced with a cultural arts event featuring traditional dances.
Hong Kong, too, was ringing in 2026 without the usual spectacle in the sky over iconic Victoria Harbor, after a massive fire in November killed at least 161 people.
The facades of eight landmarks were turning into giant countdown clocks presenting a three-minute light show at midnight.
Many parts of Asia welcome the new year by observing age-old traditions.
In Japan, crowds were gathering at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo for a bell striking at midnight. In the South Korean capital, Seoul, a bell tolling and countdown ceremony were being held at the Bosingak Pavilion.
Tourists and Berliners alike marked the end of 2025 by enjoying snowfall, taking selfies and making snowmen in front of the German capital's cathedral and the iconic Brandenburg Gate. The Berlin TV Tower was nearly invisible thanks to the falling flakes and fog.
Greece and Cyprus were ringing in 2026 by turning down the volume, replacing traditional fireworks with low-noise pyrotechnics, light shows and drone displays in capital cities. Low-noise fireworks avoid the explosive bursts that generate the loud cracks of traditional displays.
Officials in the countries said the change is intended to make celebrations more welcoming for children and pets, particularly animals sensitive to loud noise.
Police in New York City will have additional anti-terrorism measures at the Times Square ball drop, with “mobile screening teams” in search of suspicious activity. It is not in response to a specific threat, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
Zohran Mamdani will take office as mayor at the start of 2026. Two swearing-in ceremonies are planned, starting with a private ceremonial event around midnight in an old subway station.
Saaliq reported from New Delhi, India. Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report.
The police stand guard during the 2026 Taipei New Year's Party celebration in front of the Taipei City Government Building in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)
People gather to celebrate the New Year at the Zojoji Buddhist temple, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025 in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
A Buddhist prays in front of lanterns on New Year's Eve at the Jogye temple in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Fireworks burst over the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the New Year celebrations in Sydney, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Swimmers enter the water during the traditional Sylvester swim at lake Moossee in Moosseedorf, Switzerland, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Anthony Anex/Keystone via AP)
A child poses for a photo with a prosperity decoration to welcome 2026 Year of the Horse, following the Chinese zodiac at a shopping district on new year's eve, in Beijing, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A person walks by illuminated decorations on New Year's Eve in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Fireworks burst over the Sydney Harbour Bridge as New Year's celebrations begin in Sydney, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Fireworks burst over the Sydney Harbour Bridge as New Year's celebrations begin in Sydney, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Ryan Seacrest and Rita Ora, hosts of "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026," in New York at the New Year's Eve Times Square Ball on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
A vendor sells New Year's eve party goods at a market in downtown Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Guadalupe Pardo)
A families pose for a photo with a prosperity decoration to welcome 2026 Year of the Horse, following the Chinese zodiac as people visit a shopping district on new year's eve, in Beijing, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A child poses for a photo with a prosperity decoration to welcome 2026 Year of the Horse, following the Chinese zodiac at a shopping district on new year's eve, in Beijing, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
