Weißmann on FPÖ plans

“ORF is already cheaper than before”

ORF Director General Roland Weißmann is under pressure from a blue-black government.

(Bild: APA, Krone KREATIV)

There has been nervousness on Vienna's Küniglberg since the collapse of a three-party coalition. If blue-black comes to power, there is a threat of massive cuts to the program. The "Krone" interviewed ORF boss Roland Weißmann about rumored savings plans and new political color games.

"Krone": Mr. Director General, the Zuckerl coalition and with it Chancellor Karl Nehammer is history. Now the blue-black coalition is negotiating a future government. Do you, like some critics, see the freedom of the domestic media under a possible chancellor Herbert Kickl under threat?
Roland Weißmann: I don't see the freedom of the media as such under threat, but there has always been some very harsh criticism. We are living in times of crisis, both worldwide and in Austria. People are unsettled by conflicts and wars, by major global issues such as climate change and migration and by the weakening economy. Especially in such difficult times, we need strong quality media such as ORF, the "Krone" and others in Austria that provide reliable information and enjoy trust. A weakened ORF would also weaken Austria as a media and advertising location and would benefit no one except the international tech and media groups, from Google to Facebook and Co. A small market like Austria will quickly become a media colony of Germany, California and China without a strong ORF. Without an Austrian program and without added value in the country. And once the ORF has shrunk to a niche broadcaster, its reach for Austrian content will also be irretrievably lost to the international players. Less ORF also means less Austria.

The FPÖ repeatedly attacks the ORF for manipulating reporting or wasting money. Do you fear for your job in an FPÖ-ÖVP government?
Fear is a bad companion in my job. I was appointed for five years and will fulfill my contract. I will announce in due course whether I will apply again. Our information department does a great job and enjoys the highest levels of trust. A culture of error is part of our daily work. When mistakes happen, we correct them publicly. That strengthens credibility.

Why does the ORF need a budget of one billion euros and can't it be cheaper?
In these difficult economic times, it is clear that everyone has to make savings. The ORF too, of course. We are already significantly cheaper than we used to be: ORF has saved hundreds of millions, cut 1000 employees and has significantly less money in real terms, i.e. adjusted for inflation, than ten or twenty years ago. The reason is that the adjustment of ORF fees has always remained below inflation. And the current ORF fee is a third cheaper for households than the previous license fee. If you want ORF to be even "cheaper" now, you have to say what you no longer want: Culture? Sport? Austrian films and series? Information? Regionality?

Das plant die FPÖ im Staatsfunk

Im Stiftungsrat nimmt der neue starke FPÖ-Mann Peter Westenthaler kein Blatt vor den Mund. Seine oft auch öffentlich geäußerte Kritik brachte ihm einen Benimm-Brief des Gremiums ein. Fakt ist: Das frühere blaue Parteiurgestein ist ein Mann der klaren Worte. Aus seinen Zielen macht der 58-Jährige kein Geheimnis: ein „schlankerer ORF“.

Beim Sparen im Staatsfunk sind FPÖ und ÖVP teils ziemlich beste Freunde. Die Freiheitlichen haben aber noch radikalere Einsparpläne:

• Abschaffung der Haushaltsabgabe und dafür eine – freilich viel geringere als jetzt mehr als 700 Millionen Euro – Finanzierung aus dem Budget.

• Nach dem Höchstgerichts-Urteil über die teils verfassungswidrige Bestellung des Stiftungsrates durch einen übermäßigen Einfluss der Bundesregierung eine schnelle „gesetzliche“ Reparatur samt neuem ORF-Gesetz.

• Was dann im Sommer zu einer Neuwahl bzw. Abwahl der Geschäftsführung mit dem Generaldirektor an der Spitze führen soll – die Direktoren müssen dann freilich bis zum Ablauf ihrer fünfjährigen Bestellung Ende 2026 weiterbezahlt werden.

Peter Westenthaler soll für die FPÖ im ORF aufräumen. Auch die ungeliebte Gebühr für alle Haushalte ist auf seiner Streichliste.

(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

Does the public service mandate really require four TV channels, two radio stations, the blue news page on the Internet, an orchestra and nine regional studios?
Yes, that's what the law stipulates - with the exception of the orchestra. If the "ORF is to offer something for everyone", it also needs the appropriate broadcasting channels. We reach more than 90 percent of the population with our programs and have the best TV market share in ten years. This should be the case because we are financed by everyone - whether from a contribution or from the federal budget. That's why we have to make programs for everyone. Of course, this doesn't work with just one channel, you need different programs for different target groups. We meet Austrians at eye level every day and meet their needs and interests: Be it the New Year's Concert, the Four Hills Tour - with record ratings, "Bundesland heute" or young series such as "School of Champions" and "Biester".

The FPÖ wants "basic broadcasting" and promises to abolish the household levy, while the ÖVP wants to at least freeze the ORF contribution. How much less money do you expect and where would the red pencil have to be applied to the reported savings plans?
I am currently reckoning with the savings program that we have already been running for two years, namely 325 million euros from 2023 to 2026. That is tough to manage, but we will manage it. If further savings or budget cuts are decided, there will be less program, i.e. less Austria. Then we also have to say which services the ORF should no longer provide and what that means for the country. Structures are quickly destroyed, but can never be rebuilt. This applies to the ORF and also to many institutions and companies that exist around the ORF. Gaps that are opened up by the termination of ORF services will certainly not be filled by Austrian providers, but by the global market leaders.