Latvia retains Dziesma format for 2014

Latvia retains Dziesma format for 2014

Riga, Latvia -
LTV, the Latvian Broadcaster has updated the dates of the national selection of Dziesma 2014. The selection of the entry for Latvia in the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest will follow the pattern of previous years, with two semi finals now on the 1st and 2nd of February in Riga, and the final on February 22nd in Ventspils.

"The change of the dates provides the opportunity for the Latvian audience to receive the broadcast of the national selection that would be technically and creatively better prepared. Already since the first day of 2014 brings more changes to Latvians with the emitting of a new currency - Euro, which is followed by the grand event in our capital, Riga - "Riga 2014". In addition to that there are also the broadcasts of Winter Olympic games from Sochi, where Latvian athletes are taking an active part in," comments Sergejs Nesterovs, the board member of Latvia Television as well as programme development manager. Nesterovs adds, that "the broadcasting of such an important and large event as national selection for Eurovision Song Contest requires particular preparations. It is essential to have at least a little bit of time after a production of an event broadcast to prepare for the next one to provide the best possible technical quality and broadcast."
The songs for Dziesma 2014 can be submitted until the 20th of November. 24 semifinal songs are going to be announced during a press conference on the 2nd of December.
Six songs from each sem final go to the final. Both in the semi finals and in the final, an LTV jury and a public televote will be of equal value, 50/50. The three songs receiving the most votes in the final proceed to the the superfinal. The winner of the superfinal will represent Latvia in Copenhagen.

Dziesma 2014 keeps the slogan from the previous year , 'Stand up, Europe!' But there is a slight change this year, in that only songs from Latvian composers will be accepted.
The rules for the selection are currently available in Latvian here.
The group PeR represented Latvia in the 2013 contest, with the song Here We Go which finished in 17th, and therfore last place in the Second Semi-Final. The nation will be hoping for a big improvement in their placing next year, and hope to emulate their victory in the 2002 edition of Europe's Favourite TV Show.

What does Latvia need to do in 2014 to improve their result?