New ORF contribution frozen by 2029-what's next?

The future of the ORF contribution remains hot! How 5min.at reports, it is now clear that the ORF contribution, which almost every Austrian budget has to pay, is not abolished, as the FPÖ had requested. Instead, the fee of 15.30 euros per month is frozen up to and including 2029. This is intended to exclude a planned increase. The contribution serves to finance public service broadcasting, which secures broadcasting in Austria via its channels such as ORF Eins and ORF two. In some federal states, however, there are also additional national levies that could possibly increase. Exemption from payment is possible under certain conditions.

In addition shows dermaerz.at that the current government, consisting of ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS, is striving for savings in ORF. These reforms are overdue in view of years of criticism of oversized structures and high salaries of ORF employees. A saving goal of around 15 percent or 150 million euros is spoken of, which could further increase the pressure on public service fees. It is in the room that the FPÖ even plans to fully finance the ORF out of the budget in the future and to abolish the fees. The current discussion about the structure of the ORF and the associated financial implications clearly shows how important a reform is for the entire media landscape in Austria.