ORF director general Roland Weißmann expects no more money for the public media company with the planned introduction of a household contribution instead of the current device-linked GIS fee. There will also be “no land of milk and honey” in the future, he said in the ORF audience council. The money is “capped” by the public service mandate. If the money raised exceeds this, they will go to a “escrow account”.
With a household levy, “up to 700,000 households” will have to pay more money for public broadcasting than is currently the case, Weißmann explained on Tuesday in the program “Rapport”. On Thursday, he spoke to public councilors that about 300,000 additional households were expected to pay.
However, this does not automatically mean more money for the ORF, because on the one hand, Minister of Media Susanne Raab (ÖVP) has announced that the fee should be cheaper than the current GIS fee and on the other hand, the ORF will not receive more money than it pays for the fulfillment of the public law mandate is required, which is also controlled by the media authority KommAustria.
Austerity package warning
Weißmann warned against saving the ORF savings package demanded by Raab. As a recent survey by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) shows, public media is the most trusted source of news in 90 percent of European countries – including Austria. If they are financed sustainably, they have a positive effect on the concept of democracy and help to prevent authoritarian tendencies, according to the research results.
Individual channels set?
In a resolution adopted with two abstentions, the Public Council called for “a critical review of existing offers and structures and possible redistribution”, but notes: “If the linear broadcaster Sport + cannot be maintained for economic reasons, the current offer will have to be in any case be made available on other playout channels (ORF 1, online)”.
And: “The programming of the RSO must be secured from the public. The ORF must contribute to the cultural-political continuation of the RSO to the best of its ability.”
The municipality wants to know whether the financing is complete
The public councils also appeal to those responsible in government and parliament to “quickly ensure” that the ORF continues to have sufficient financial resources. When it comes to financing, “everyone should be involved, regardless of their channel of use”, with exceptions or premium discounts for people on low incomes.
Ziegler items not specially made
ORF’s general manager also commented on the new job for former state director of Lower Austria, Robert Ziegler. After serious accusations of influencing the ÖVP, he moved from his time as editor-in-chief to the “Facility Management and Corporate Social Responsibility” department, where he has to implement the further expansion of accessibility and inclusion in the ORF. According to Weißmann, this job was not created especially for him. His new position is also associated with “significant wage losses”.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
