Photo: Hans van Dijk for Anefo — CC0Source
Marcel Bezençon
journalist
- May 1, 1907
- February 17, 1981
- 73 years
About Marcel Bezençon
Marcel Bezençon, 73, Swiss media executive and journalist, creator of Eurovision.
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60 Seconds Life Story
Marcel Bezençon was a visionary Swiss journalist who fundamentally changed the landscape of international
Marcel Bezençon
1907 – 1981
60 Seconds: Marcel Bezençon's Life Story
A brief overview of the life and media legacy of Swiss journalist and Eurovision founder Marcel Bezençon.
Transcript
Marcel Bezençon was a visionary Swiss journalist who fundamentally changed the landscape of international television. Born in 1907, he initially pursued a career as an art and theater critic after graduating from the University of Lausanne. By 1939, he began his long tenure with Radio Suisse Romande, eventually rising to become the Director-General of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation. His most lasting legacy emerged in 1955, when he conceived the idea for the Eurovision Song Contest. Inspired by the Sanremo Music Festival, he successfully established an enduring platform for European musical collaboration. He served as the director of the European Broadcasting Union until 1970. Marcel Bezençon passed away in 1981 at the age of 73, leaving behind an unparalleled influence on global media and music entertainment.
Play the illustrated life story above, or read the full biography on this page.
Visual credits: Hans van Dijk for Anefo (CC0) · Own work (Public domain) · Vintage Bendix Wood Waterfall Table Radio, Model 0526E, Broadcast & Police Bands, 5 Tubes, Made In USA (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Natsu_444 / Pixabay (Pixabay Content License) · Radiocorriere (Public domain) · Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Hans van Dijk for Anefo (CC0)
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Full Biography
|Marcel Bezençon (French pronunciation: [maʁsɛl bəzɑ̃sɔ̃]; 1 May 1907 – 17 February 1981) was a Swiss journalist, media executive and the director of the European Broadcasting Union between 1954 and 1970. In 1955, he conceived the idea of the Eurovision Song Contest, based on the famous Sanremo Music Festival.
Bezençon graduated with a degree in art history from the University of Lausanne in 1932, and then started work as a freelance art and theater critic before becoming editor of the newspaper Feuille d'Avis. In 1939, he joined Radio suisse romande (RSR), where he served as its director until 1950 when he became Director-General of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR), which he served until 1972. Bezençon also sat as a member of the board of directors of the Swiss Telegraphic Agency (SDA ATS) between 1963 and 1972.
In 2002, the Marcel Bezençon Awards were founded by Christer Björkman (Melodifestivalen winner and Swedish ESC participant in 1992) and Richard Herrey (Melodifestivalen and Swedish ESC winner in 1984 as part of the Herreys).
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Bezen%C3%A7on
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
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- October 21, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
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