Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF)
The Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (Österreichischer Rundfunk, ORF) stands as Austria’s public-service media organization. Established in 1924, it operates four national TV channels and 12 radio stations, with its main center in Vienna and regional studios spread across the country’s nine federal provinces.
Media assets
Television: ORF 1, ORF 2, ORF 2 Europe, ORF III, ORF Sport +
Radio: Ö1, Hitradio Ö3, FM4; Regional stations: Radio Burgenland, Radio Kärnten, Radio Niederösterreich, Radio Oberösterreich, Radio Salzburg, Radio Steiermark, Radio Tirol, Radio Vorarlberg, Radio Wien, Radio Slovenski
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
ORF is structured as a foundation, created under the ORF Act, and entrusted with public-service imperatives. At the top sits the Foundation Council (Stiftungsrat)—akin to a corporate supervisory board—tasked with appointing the Director General and other senior directors, and approving key financial decisions.
Following a reform effective March 2025, the composition of this Council was tweaked: the federal government now directly appoints six (down from nine) of the 35 members; the National Parliament appoints another six; each of Austria’s nine provinces names one; the Audience Council (Publikumsrat) appoints nine (up from six); and five representatives come from ORF’s staff.
The Director General is appointed by the Foundation Council for a five-year term. The current Director General, Roland Weissmann, has been in office since January 2022. His appointment drew criticism because of his perceived closeness to the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), though no direct editorial interference has been demonstrated so far.
Source of funding and budget
As a not-for-profit entity, ORF reinvests its revenues into programming and services. Traditionally, its funding came from a mix of broadcast licence fees and advertising revenues, in roughly a 60:40 ratio.
In 2020, ORF’s budget exceeded €1 billion, in line with the previous year. Licence fees varied by province, between €22.45 and €28.65 per month. In 2021, the budget rose to €1.015 billion, of which €645 million came from licence fees. In 2022, the budget further increased to €1.031 billion, with licence fees contributing €663 million.
Facing political pressure and budget reforms, ORF has been required to present austerity plans. In February 2023, ORF management announced a savings target of €320 million by 2026, affecting the RSO, Sport+, and digital portals. In 2024–2025, this was expanded to a package seeking €325 million in cuts by 2026 and €320 million more by 2029.
A major funding reform took effect in January 2024: the old equipment-based licence fee was replaced with a universal household levy of €15.30 per month. This broadened the payer base by more than 700,000 households and was projected to generate about €683 million annually. For 2025, ORF’s budget stands at €1.010 billion, with €685 million coming from the household levy.
Moreover, legislative tweaks accompanying the 2025 budget have granted ORF up to €35 million more annually (for 2027–2029) in levy revenue—on the condition that it maintains the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra (RSO), ORF Sport+, and ORF III. Simultaneously, a planned €10 million direct subsidy for RSO and Sport+ from the federal budget will be cut starting 2026.
Editorial independence
The ORF Act enshrines editorial autonomy. There are no government-imposed rules on how ORF manages or produces its news. Moreover, politicians are barred by law from serving as members of the Foundation Council, which is the body that appoints the Director General. These safeguards are designed to keep direct state interference at bay.
Nevertheless, the broadcaster has been under growing political pressure in recent years. Right-wing parties have been especially hostile. The FPÖ (Freedom Party of Austria) has repeatedly attacked ORF, demanding the abolition of the licence fee/levy, fully aware that this would compromise ORF’s financial independence and potentially its very existence. The ÖVP (Austrian People’s Party), while less radical, has pursued structural cuts—proposing to close FM4, merge ORF III with ORF 1, cap funding beyond 2026, and shrink certain cultural and digital services.
These pressures have sparked concerns, particularly following the appointment of Roland Weissmann as Director General in January 2022, given his perceived ties to the ÖVP. Although no direct political meddling has been proven under his tenure, critics monitor the situation closely.
Despite such attacks, ORF continues to be Austria’s most trusted news provider. Surveys consistently show that Austrians regard ORF as objective and impartial. Moreover, civil society has proven highly vigilant: NGOs, professional associations, and audience groups regularly push back against political interference, demanding that ORF’s independence remain intact.
ORF also has its own Code of Conduct, developed by the editorial office committee and approved by both the Audience Council and Foundation Council. This code commits journalists to accuracy, impartiality, and credibility, and functions as an internal bulwark against editorial capture.
The Audience Council (Publikumsrat) is another key safeguard. Its members are drawn from across civil society: the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, the Chambers of Agriculture, the Chamber of Labour, trade unions, churches (Roman Catholic and Lutheran), the Academy of Sciences, and various NGOs. The Council’s mandate is to represent the interests of viewers and listeners, ensuring that programming respects pluralism and public-service standards. Importantly, it operates independently of political or government instruction, making its decisions strictly within the framework of law.
August 2025