Rules of the MVSC

Here you can find the rules of the Mondevision Song Contest.

Eligible countries
Generally, every country in the world can participate. There are also plenty of independent or disputed territories, which are all able to participate. Also smaller countries can borrow songs from their bigger neighbors:

Borrowing
A list of countries that are able to borrow songs from their bigger neighbors can be found here.

Confirmation
If you want to participate at Mondevision Song Contest, you have to choose a country and confirm your participation in the comment section of this page, in the official OVSC Forum, on YouTube, Google+ or Twitter. You have to meet the deadlines and play by the rules. If there are more than 56 participating countries, you have to get on the waiting list first.

Country selection
First come first served: if a country is already taken, you have to wait until the Head of Delegation changes his country or ask him if you could have it. New participants can take any country that's still available and can apply for new territories to join the contest.

From the second edition on, you can take two countries.

Submission
Users have to submit their entry in time. Each user can submit one entry for each country in each edition. Except from country, artist and song, submissions must also contain a link to the YouTube video and the 20 seconds from the Youtube video to use in the recap video and a proof that the artist is eligible to participate for the chosen country. There will be a Google form where the entries can be submitted. They will be checked by the Mondevision Council afterwards.

Artists and songs
Generally, every song is allowed to participate at MVSC, as long as it hasn't been performed at the (Junior) Eurovision Song Contest or one of its preselections. However, the participants are asked to chose songs and artists that have nothing to do with the ESC. They will not be penalized if they take a Eurovision-related song or performer. Overused songs and worldchart songs are not allowed.

If a group is selected, at least one member has to be from the represented country.

Voting
The voting is the same as in the real Eurovision Song Contest. 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points are given to ten of the participating countries by each user. You cannot vote for your own country. The voting takes place via private message to the organiser. If you're caught cheating or influencing the voting, you'll be banned from the contest for one edition.

Strikes
If a participant breaks the rules, he gets a strike. If he's got three strikes, he is banned from participating for one edition.

Big 8
The Big 5 Nations were introduced in the second edition and expanded by one country in the third edition. They became the Big 8 in the fifth edition. They are automatically qualified for the final. If a country from the Big 8 withdraws, it will be replaced by the ninth place of the last edition.
 * Winner of the last edition
 * Runner-up of the last edition
 * Third place of the last edition
 * Fourth place of the last edition
 * Fifth place of the last edition
 * Sixth place of the last edition
 * Seventh place of the last edition
 * Eighth place of the last edition

Results
If there is a tie between two players and one of them didn't vote, the player who voted gets the better placement. If both players voted, the country with the most 12 points gets the better place. If both countries got the same amount of 12 points, the country that got points from more countries will be favoured.