ORF broadcast: Nine moderators for the opera ball cost 100,000 euros!

ORF broadcast: Nine moderators for the opera ball cost 100,000 euros!

Next Thursday, February 29, 2025, the ORF beams live from the Vienna State Opera for the festive opera ball with extravagant reporting, which causes controversy in advance. The public service broadcaster hires a total of nine moderators to carry out this glamorous live broadcast, which leads to significant financial expenses. The total fees for personalities such as Mirjam Weichselbraun and Andi Knoll amount to impressive 100,000 euros, such as Exxpress.at reported.

Criticism of high fees despite austerity measures

The top earners among the moderators are Weichselbraun and Knoll, each with around 10,000 euros, while the Duo Hohenlohe and Wagner-Trenkwitz are also awarded a generous fee. The ORF itself admits that the costs of the transfer would be significantly lower if only permanent moderators were used. This information raises questions, especially at a time when ORF introduces comprehensive austerity measures to better distribute the financial means. Peter Westenthaler, member of the ORF foundation council, expressed harsh criticism and asked for a review of the high expenditure for reporting. He emphasized: "In times of general savings, the ORF should also save", such as Weekend.at

The high number of spectators in the opera ball enables lucrative advertising revenue, with ORF directors being confident that the investment can be justified by sales rights abroad and the sale of advertising slots. Nevertheless, the question remains whether the exorbitant fees are actually appropriate in the current savings phase or whether the ORF should rethink its priorities.