Ruthless Red Pencil: ORF Must Save Millions

The government program of the new coalition of ÖVP, SPÖ, and NEOS contains a clear directive for the ORF: The broadcasting fee, currently 15.30 euros per household per month, should not be increased until 2029. ORF Director General Roland Weißmann described this on Thursday at a meeting of the ORF Audience Council as a "great challenge." Between 2027 and 2031, the ORF must therefore save a total of 220 million euros.

Already in 2024, the ORF will cut 80 million euros, with savings of 104 million euros planned for 2026. Weißmann spoke of the "largest savings package the ORF has ever faced" and announced that he would have to "turn over every stone."

Problems with Household Levy Minimal, but Present

Another topic was the household levy, which has been mandatory for all households since 2024. Audience Council member Barbara Nepp addressed problems faced by many individuals and companies. Weißmann admitted that there are "a few thousand problem cases," but emphasized that the error rate is in the per mille range. The payment morale in Austria is generally very high.

Companies in particular criticize the levy, which is linked to the municipal tax. Of the 245,000 affected companies, 243,000 pay one or two contributions, with only 82 companies paying the maximum amount of 100 contributions. Weißmann showed understanding for the discontent but pointed out that the ORF is merely following the law.

Only 54 Percent Consider ORF Reporting Balanced

In the session, the Audience Council Study 2024 was also presented, which deals with the expectations of ORF reporting. While three-quarters of respondents consider the handling of interview partners to be respectful and two-thirds see ORF as a reliable source of information, only 54 percent rate the reporting as balanced.

Audience Council member Andreas Kratschmar saw "a need for action" here and called for a more detailed analysis. Additionally, 28 percent of respondents want more economic reporting, while 35 percent each demand a stronger offering of background analyses and discussion programs with an audience.

Reform of the ORF Audience Council Planned by End of March

The session could have been one of the last in this composition. The government is planning a reform of the ORF Audience Council after the Constitutional Court criticized excessive government influence. In the future, the body is to consist of 28 instead of the previous 30 members. 14 members are to continue to be appointed by the government, while the remaining 14 are to be appointed by legally defined institutions such as chambers, churches, and party academies.

Additionally, the Audience Council is to send nine instead of six representatives to the Foundation Council, while the federal government can only appoint six instead of the previous nine members there.

Gabriele Zgubic-Engleder participated in the session for the first time, succeeding Daniela Zimmer as a representative of the Chamber of Labor.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.