Babler announces ORF reform: depoliticization and contribution remains the same!

Babler announces ORF reform: depoliticization and contribution remains the same!

Vienna, Österreich - On March 23, 2025, the new Vice Chancellor and Media Minister Andreas Babler (SPÖ) announces the first media policy measures to reform the ORF. A small ORF committee reform and freezing the ORF contribution until 2029 are planned. These reforms are to be decided in the National Council next Thursday. Only smaller adjustments are on the agenda, while a more comprehensive ORF reform is postponed to a later date.

braer would like to advance a "depoliticization" of the Austrian radio. The background is a knowledge of the Constitutional Court (VfGH), which has determined too much political weight from the government when ordering the ORF bodies. In the future, the federal government will order six instead of nine boarding councils. The public council is reduced to 28 members, whereby 14 members are determined by the government and 14 by defined bodies.

significant changes to committees and fees

The new qualification requirements for the committees should be redefined and the occupation rules for the top decision -making bodies of the ORF are changed. A public tender is planned to promote transparency. Important points of the reform are the deletion of new orders after a change of government and the intention of not valorizing the ORF contribution of EUR 15.30 per month in order to support a more efficient public service broadcasting.

The ORF boss Roland Weißmann has estimated the Savings requirement of the ORF at around 220 million euros. Meanwhile, the government plans to reduce advertising volume by ten percent, which would mean saving around 3.5 million euros.

for the future of the ORF

The securing of the FM4 radio station and the financing of the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra (RSO) until at least 2026 are also on the agenda. Despite these commitments, the future of the RSO remains uncertain from 2027, and the orchestra is currently receiving 10 million euros a year from the federal budget. The discussion about the online presence of ORF.AT will also be continued, since publisher complains of a design that is too text-heavy.

BABER has also promised further support for the newspaper delivery in the double -digit millions and support for quality journalism, including through funded subscriptions for younger users. The media digitalization funding will remain, financed by digital tax. For the "Wiener Zeitung" there are no plans for a return as a print day newspaper after the publication 2023 was discontinued.

For more information on this topic, the articles from vienna.at , href = "https://kurier.at/kultur/medienminminister-babler-orf-gremien-behnaten-fm4-wiener-Zeitung-journalismfoerderung/403025379"> Kurier consulted.