From
Egbert Tholl
Similar to the German public broadcasters, the ORF, the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation, also has to make savings. Broadcasting fees are apparently no longer sufficient to absorb the current price increases in many areas. The Austrian Media Minister Susanne Raab (ÖVP) had repeatedly insisted on a “tough austerity course” for the ORF and asked for a list of proposals for savings. On Monday, ORF Director General Roland Weißmann outlined what will be on this list as part of a special finance committee. The Sport Plus channel, for example, which is to be converted into a purely digital offer; Popular sport should be presented more on ORF 1. But the big hit is somewhere else: According to Weißmann, the ORF can no longer finance the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra (RSO) “as of today”. Weissmann added, not free from cynicism: It is a great orchestra, but others should finance it in the future.