Barbara Karlich's talk show: Fans outraged by ORF program reform!

Barbara Karlich's talk show: Fans outraged by ORF program reform!

Barbara Karlich, a formative figure on the ORF, is saying goodbye to her talk show “Barbara Karlich – Talk at 4” after more than 25 years. The final season of the show is currently in production and is scheduled to air at the end of June 2025. This reported, among other things oe24. ORF plans to broadcast the pre-produced editions until the end of 2026 and has announced that Karlich will remain with the company as presenter.

The decision to cancel the show caused widespread outrage among fans. Many viewers express their dissatisfaction and even call for the entire ORF program to be stopped. While some comments have called for a return to the show, there have also been suggestions that other programs could be canceled. This shows how deeply rooted the talk show was in the ORF program, which has been running continuously since its premiere in October 1999.

A piece of ORF history

In a total of over 4,500 programs produced, Karlich has conducted a series of careful conversations that never descended into “mud wrestling,” as she herself emphasized. The talk show holds the record as the longest-running talk show in German-speaking countries and has always distinguished itself through its respectful treatment of guests vol.at reported.

The ORF itself did not comment on the decision regarding the financial savings of three million euros per year that would result from the cancellation. However, viewers can be reassured that Karlich is slated for new formats in the future, including a potential 45-minute format in the main evening program planned for 2026.

ORF and its development

The Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF), which provides a comprehensive range of public broadcasting programs from television, radio and online, has a significant influence on the media landscape in Austria. The first programs were broadcast as early as 1924 as part of the “RAVAG” radio operation. Over 90% of Austrians use one of the ORF offers every day, which underlines the importance of the channel. The development and modernization of the ORF infrastructure has continued to evolve over the years, most recently with the construction of a multimedia newsroom, which went into operation in 2022 der.orf.at documented.