The voice of Austria

Clear majority in favor of leaner state broadcasting

Next year, ORF needs a reform of the reform. Westenthaler (left) criticizes, Weißmann defends his company.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, Klemens Groh, SEPA.MEDIA | Isabelle Ouvrard, Karl Schöndorfer)

More economical, smaller and closer to the customer: Austrians are calling for cuts to state broadcasting. However, ORF is also battling criticism of its own making. 

High luxury salaries (see chart below), lucrative side jobs and politically questionable dossiers. ORF itself has increasingly hit the headlines in the recent past. Debates about the unlawful composition of various committees and about the budget levy, which is set to provide the broadcaster with around EUR 722 million this year but is controversial among citizens, are further fueling the debate about the future of the public broadcaster.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, stock.adobe.com)

After the National Council elections and until March 31, politicians have time to repair at least parts of the questionable ORF law.

If media houses throughout Austria have their way, the blue side of the broadcaster will then also be shown the red card. Gerald Grünberger, Managing Director of the Association of Austrian Newspapers (VÖZ), famously criticized the fact that the "newspaper-like" nature of the ORF.at website had not changed as a result of the ORF law. The law is a "deceptive package" because it allows the ORF to mix overview reporting and other online tasks on the "blue page" and more than the prescribed 350 text messages per week.

Weißmann rejected the accusations
Director General Roland Weißmann rejected the accusations - and pointed out that the legal requirements had been met. But which of these requirements are now to be changed? And what will happen to the mandatory levy of 15.30 euros per household? One thing is certain: According to a survey conducted by Peter Hajek's Unique Research Institute, almost three quarters of all Austrians want the ORF to remain, but to be smaller, more economical and closer to its customers. Peter Westenthaler, who was appointed to the Board of Trustees by the FPÖ, expressed an even clearer opinion. After his appointment, he described the broadcaster as "completely crazy".

Old contracts, "disproportionate effect"?
Accusations that are firmly rejected at the ORF center on Küniglberg. "The ORF handles contributors' funds very carefully in accordance with the principles of economy, efficiency and expediency," they say. The ORF's management is also regularly audited by the supervisory bodies, the Audit Commission, the Court of Auditors, etc.. The ORF is therefore one of the most audited companies. The broadcaster claims to have cut around 900 full-time positions since 2007. With regard to the high average ORF fee of 91,000 euros per year, the broadcaster notes that "the old, more expensive contract systems have a disproportionate effect".