Estimate too high

Household contribution: ORF now lacks 33 million euros

(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

ORF is currently likely to collect the new ORF contribution from fewer households than predicted by lawmakers. Specifically, the public broadcaster is said to be missing around 180,000 contributors. This means that revenues are also lower than expected, which increases the pressure on ORF to make savings.

A "clear double-digit million amount" is missing compared to the forecast made by the legislator, which assumed around 4 million households liable to pay. According to calculations by the "Standard", this results in a shortfall of around 33 million euros.

OBS calculated with less
The ORF subsidiary GIS, or now OBS, is said to have calculated with fewer - namely 3.8 million - households on the basis of its data. Due to the shortfall, ORF is now likely to draw on reserves in order to break even this year and in the coming years.

According to the ORF Act, the public media company can only apply for an increase in contributions - ORF currently receives EUR 15.30 per month and household - from 2027 onwards. Until then, the contribution amount is fixed.

Household fee replaces GIS fee
As of January 1, 2024, the GIS fee was replaced by an ORF contribution in the form of a household fee. From this date, every household paid EUR 15.30 per month to the ORF, whereby secondary residences are exempt and previous fee exemptions remain in place. Although this made it cheaper for most previous fee payers, around 600,000 households had to pay for the first time.