Future of the media: collaboration as a key to democracy in Austria!

Future of the media: collaboration as a key to democracy in Austria!

Laimgrubengasse 10, 1060 Wien, Österreich - On March 19, 2025, the Near Future Summit took place for the 19th time. Rudi Klausnitzer, the founder of the event, emphasized the importance of cooperation between the different sectors in order to be able to consist of a changing European landscape. In this context, ORF general director Roland Weißmann confirmed the implementation of a stringent savings program, which is considered in response to the current financial requirements of public service broadcasting. These measures are necessary to secure the quality and variety of offers such as Ö1, FM4 or ORF III. The exchange between media brands is crucial for the continued existence of the industry, with Klausnitzer emphasized that the intelligent promotion of a democratically relevant media offerings is of central importance

media policy in the focus of the government

The current coalition negotiations between FPÖ and ÖVP, as orf.at , bring the future of ORF to the agenda. The FPÖ demands savings of 15 percent, which could lead to a massive cut in the program offers and a reduction in jobs. The debate on the financing of public service broadcasting becomes more intensive because the party leader of the FPÖ, Herbert Kickl, has called for a revision of the ORF laws. According to Koller, deputy editor -in -chief of the “Salzburger Nachrichten”, there are considerable concerns about possible political influences that could threaten the independence of the media. In a changing media environment, it is therefore essential that journalistic standards remain preserved and the freedom of the press is secured.

Experts like Klaus Meier from the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt emphasize that journalism is a critical infrastructure of democracy. The multitude of opinions in the digital age can lead to polarizations, which is why fair and comprehensive reporting of fear and necessity is characterized. The challenges that the media faces demand for closer cooperation to maintain high -quality information supply and to take into account the dramatic changes in the usage behavior of people. The ORF has to join in more with private media in order to compete together against misinformation and to promote quality journalism.