The ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra (RSO), the specialist channel ORF Sport + and the streaming platforms Flimmit and fidelio are currently being traded as prank candidates.
According to the ORF law, ORF Sport + can only be operated “in accordance with economic feasibility” and could therefore be deleted without changing the law if there were appropriate arguments. Sports and competitions are given broadcasting time on the niche channel, which usually does not have much space in Austrian reporting. Premium sports competitions may not be broadcast there. The expenses for the station are likely to be in the high single-digit millions per year. The average daily reach in 2022 was 236,000 people. It is conceivable that parts of the current reporting will migrate to ORF 1 and the streaming area. Finally, Media Minister Susanne Raab (ÖVP) also announced a digital amendment for the ORF, which is intended to give the public media company more options in the digital space.
ORF III should not be affected
The ORF III broadcaster for information and culture is only included in the ORF law “in accordance with economic feasibility”, but should not be affected by the savings. In the previous year, its average daily reach of 882,000 viewers was also far higher than that of ORF Sport +.
Things are about to get serious for the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra (RSO) with its dozens of musicians. In the ORF law, its continued existence is only secured until 2013 and has therefore expired a decade ago. It was repeatedly up for grabs. ORF boss Roland Weißmann described the orchestra in August 2021 as a producer of “contemporary music at a world level”. It creates identity and should be preserved, he said in an internal ORF hearing as a candidate for the post of ORF general director at the time. The annual expenditure for the orchestra should also be in the high single-digit million range.
Flimmit could soon be a thing of the past
The video-on-demand platform Flimmit, which focuses on Austrian films and series, could also soon be a thing of the past. The ORF thus made losses at least in phases. In 2019, the media authority KommAustria approved that the ORF may also use ORF program fees to finance the streaming platform. The end of the payment classical music portal fidelio could also be imminent. Like Flimmit, its finances did not cause beams of joy at ORF. Here, KommAustria rejected financing by means of a program fee. Both platforms could be included in ORF’s future streaming offering.
The savings at ORF are not only necessary because of increased costs. Media Minister Susanne Raab (ÖVP) repeatedly insisted on a “tough austerity course” for the ORF so that it would be cheaper for the population and tied the demand to negotiations with the Greens about a device-independent household fee, which would increase the current GIS fee for televisions and to replace radio. ORF funding must be reorganized by 2024 on the basis of a decision by the Constitutional Court (VfGH). The pure streaming use of ORF offers must therefore be subject to a fee in the future.
With a switch from a device-related fee to a device-independent household fee, the inspection visits by GIS employees of the ORF fee subsidiary would be eliminated. This would reduce the financial outlay. However, it is uncertain what will happen to the GIS and its staff.
