NEOS celebrate ORF reform: Political influence finally ended!

NEOS celebrate ORF reform: Political influence finally ended!

On July 13, 2025, the NEOS in Vienna can celebrate a significant success in the reform of public service broadcasting, especially ORF. This reform aims to significantly reduce political influence on ORF. A central component of this reform is the abolition of the regulatory law of the governors when ordering the ORF state director: inside. Selma Arapović, the club chairwoman of Neos Vienna, describes this step as an essential measure in the direction of an ORF that is less important and strengthening journalistic independence in Austria. The NEOs have been committed to the end of the party political influence on public service broadcasting since they were founded.

The Federal Government has decided with the reform a system change that is intended to promote an independent media landscape. In the future, the ORF Foundation Council will only be responsible for the selection and order of the state directors. Expert: Inside, this new regulation regarding significant progress in the fight against party political influence. The decision -making bodies are shifted to a centralized, more competent level, which could sustainably improve the credibility of ORF, says media scientist.

expanded reform policy measure

Another success of the NEOS concerns the ORF budget tax. The regulation, which provided additional multiple bills for entrepreneurs: in the inside with several locations, was abolished. This increases the NEOS media policy as a transparent, state-proof and citizen-based public service broadcast. The NEOS demands also extend to further reforms, such as the revision of the composition of the Board of Trustees and a greater integration of the audience.

These reforms are not only relevant in Austria, but also in the international context. The public service broadcasting plays a central role in democracy and public opinion formation. In Germany, for example, the Federal Constitutional Court has repeatedly clarified that public broadcasting must be withdrawn from state influence in order to ensure freedom of broadcasting. The Austrian reform could serve as an example for other countries that also want to strengthen the independence of their media.

The current reform of the ORF is viewed as a step into a new era in which an independent radio is essential for a functioning democracy. This becomes particularly clear in times when the freedom of journalists and state control over media forms are discussed worldwide.