ORF says brass music show: ESC 2026 sacrifices folk culture!

ORF says brass music show: ESC 2026 sacrifices folk culture!

Österreich - The Austrian Radio (ORF) has canceled the TV show “The Great Chance of Blasm music” planned for autumn 2025. This happened in view of the upcoming issue of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2026 in Austria. The FPÖ media spokesman Christian Hafenecker criticized this decision and sees no logical connection between the ESC and the brass music show. He described the cancellation as a typical example of how the ORF folk culture sacrifices in favor of the ESC. In Austria there are over 2,100 brass music bands with around 143,000 musicians, many of them young people, and Hafenecker demands that both events should take place in parallel, especially in view of ORF's budget. He also expressed resentment on the reporting of the ORF about the "Pride Parade" and compared them to the lack of reporting on Corona demonstrations.

Program director Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz confirmed the cancellation and asked the applicants for patience. The focus of the ORF is now on the ESC, the audience program of which will begin from February 2026. The motto for the event in May 2026 is "Fun and Family Time", which is aimed at an entertaining concept that is supposed to present the singing skills of celebrities and fans. Various documentary, talks and reports are planned, which should form a comprehensive accompanying program for the ESC.

resource redistribution and program planning

Instead of the "great chance of brass music", the ORF will radiate cheaper formats such as the "cabaret summit" in autumn. The application process for the ESC 2026 was officially launched, and the city that organizes the event will be announced on August 8, 2025 at the latest. Interested venues must meet certain requirements, including an exclusivity of at least seven weeks before and one week after the final, which is expected to take place on May 16 or 23, 2026.

The minimum capacity for the hall is around 10,000 people, and other specific requirements, such as the provision of a "green room" for around 300 people, resemble the criteria of 2015. ORF general director Roland Weißmann emphasizes that the framework conditions are comparable to the previous events. The motto for the event is "economical, but spectacular!", Which aims at an economically efficient but still impressive staging.

The application process for the ESC 2025 does not remain undisturbed: Applicants can submit their documents by July 4, 2025. The excitement for the Eurovision Song Contest has already triggered numerous discussions, not least because of the recent decision by the ORF, which affects the brass music community in Austria. The demand for balanced reporting and equivalent promotion of both music styles therefore remains a hotly discussed topic.