“Engaged” – ORF employees “funny” because of chats

As reported, Schrom, who had been promoted to a “blue” ticket, had made disparaging comments about his own home and at least parts of his team in chats with the then FPÖ boss and vice-chancellor, and Strache also gave tips on how to deal with with the ORF. After the talks became public, Schrom said the communication had “no happy external effect.” His defense was: “In order to get a basis for a conversation, as editor-in-chief I adapted to the tonality and language of my interlocutor.”

How it goes with Schrom could be decided on Thursday. During an editorial meeting it will also become clear whether there will be a vote of confidence in the editor-in-chief of TV Nieuws. According to Bornemann, the consequences of a vote of no confidence lie mainly with the people involved themselves and with ORF director-general Roland Weißmann. An internal audit of ORF has already started.

ORF Director General: “Optics is Devastating”
Weissmann stated in a broadcast on Monday that the optics of the chats “devastating”. However, the credibility of the ORF news is beyond doubt. “We strive every day for clean and independent journalism. But of course, confidence in our work suffers from such things,” said Bornemann.

Whether other executives of the country’s largest media company could have maintained a similar exchange with politicians, “only those involved know for themselves,” the editors declined to speculate. “If that is the case, credibility will continue to be massively damaged. And that will also have to be responded to.”

Swirl around turquoise green side letter
A turquoise-green side letter suggests that politics also had a hand in appointing ORF’s board of directors. This ensured the distribution of the posts of the ORF directorate in the ratio of three ÖVP – including general manager – versus two Greens. Weissmann and his team of directors denied that their appointments involved collusion with politicians.