A threatening savings package of 220 million euros raises the Austrian radio. Reason: the new government plans to freeze the ORF contribution by 2029. ORF -General Roland Weißmann warns: “We have to turn every stone!”
The government project not to increase the ORF contribution by 2029 is employed by the foundation councils of the Media House of the Public Service. This sees around 220 million savings needs from 2027 to 2031.
Double tracks must be set
For the founder Thomas Zach, head of the ÖVP-related “Freundeskreis” and chairman of the Financial Committee of the Board of Trustees, the ORF management has already met the expectations by providing it proactively to make an analysis of the expected effects of the media capital in the government program.
As many double tracks as possible should now be stopped in order to continue to fulfill the program bonding as well as possible through efficiency transactions. Because: “The scale is the best possible program of public views,” he says in the run-up to the ORF Foundation Council meeting that takes place on Thursday. Ideally, the program should not be stored.
Zach: “Don’t put your head in the sand”
Where the savings are ultimately applied, it has not yet been established. This will show this the following week and months, Zach said, who assumes that at the end of the following period of reimbursements, fewer people will work at ORF than before – which is also due to natural departure that have not been filled.
In any case, social hardships should be avoided in the best possible way, he says, with a view to the ORF employees, who would have held the company a “stable course”, not least because of extremely low wage levels in high inflation. “It’s about timely and honesty, but also not to put your head in the sand,” says Zach.
Lederer does not believe in “hyperactivity”
Foundation councilor Heinz Lederer, head of the Spö-related “Freundeskreis” on the board of directors, on the other hand, does not believe in “hyperactivity”. He advises management to appear as a “calm force”. Something will come to ORF, but: “Until death, died too.” Until now it is a government project, not a law, emphasizes Lederer and reports about numerous people from the ORF staff file who would have worried him.
Without knowing what a possible law will look like, employees would be “in fear and panic”, the board of directors shakes its head. The next wave of savings is literally “desire”, according to Lederers.
Mushroom sees ORF on the “edge of the abyss”
Sigrid Pilz, who speaks for the Greens, speaks for the greens, does not consider the government project as the ORF contribution, completely exaggerated. The almost 220 million euros in savings volume would bring the ORF “on the edge of the abyss”.
“Everything will be questioned to achieve this goal. The (non -golden) handshake is offered to the staff, “fears the board of directors. It must also be feared that the “usual suspects” in the form of ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra (RSO) and FM4 are in trouble or a “catastrophic savings coercion” for Ö1.
Austerity already planned
The ORF saves 80 million euros this year. 104 million euros were planned in 2026. Combined with a non-valorization of the ORF contribution, which is currently 15.30 euros per household and month, you can look at the “largest savings package that ORF has ever been confronted”, orf boss Weißmann recently calculated.
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.
