ORF Foundation Council to be Headed by Red-Turkises Duo
From the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) to a New Era: A Fresh Start with a Refreshed Supervisory Board
Meet the New Boss: Heinz Lederer Takes the ORF Helm
After a lengthy voting process, the 62-year-old Viennese, Heinz Lederer, has been appointed as the new chairman of the ORF's supervisory board. The seasoned SPO (Social Democratic Party) representative secured a unanimous vote, except for two abstentions from Leonhard Dobusch and Christiana Jankovics, both from the SPO side. Lederer succeeds Lothar Lockl, a Green-leaning figure who is moving on from the body.
Deputy Role Goes to Schütze
In a tradition-following move, Gregor Schütze, a PR entrepreneur and ORF supervisory board member from the OVP (Austrian People's Party), was elected as Lederer's deputy. With 33 yes votes and one abstention, the body demonstrates a remarkable level of support across political lines.
Dobusch's Controversial Abstention
Leonhard Dobusch, who abstained from the vote, expressed his reasons for doing so on his blog. He opposed the insistence of the two elected candidates to establish explicitly party-politically structured networks before the meeting.
Two New Public Councilors Emerging
Recent resignations due to the politician clause in the ORF law have led to a vacancy in the ORF's audience representation. The FPO supervisory board members have put forth a request to postpone the meeting, as they believe the appointment was not legally sound. However, the majority of the supervisory board members dismissed this demand.
The ORF's New Power Dynamics
The new constitution of the ORF supervisory board follows a minor reform in response to a Constitutional Court ruling. The board consists of members from various political positions and independent experts, who will serve four-year terms. They are tasked with electing the ORF general director every five years and, shortly thereafter, selecting four directors and nine regional directors based on the latter's proposals. Key decisions include the approval of financial and staff plans, ORF fee increases, and the annual financial statements and program schedules of the public broadcaster. In the event of a tie, the chairman's vote decides.
Current Matters Facing ORF
Lederer has expressed concerns about managing contributors at ORF more effectively. As the newly appointed chairman, he will be navigating a potential "hot summer" for ORF with the expectation of "very high austerity packages" and the legally frozen ORF fee bringing heavy financial burdens. Another significant challenge is finding a balance between maintaining ORF's extensive programming offerings and implementing cost-cutting measures.
Expanding Transparency and Objectification
Furthermore, the ORF Supervisory Board is expected to focus on transparency and objectivity, as evidenced by a recently approved motion by Peter Westenthaler. This motion calls for a review of cash-inserat allocations and counter-business agreements with domestic publishing houses based on clear, objective, and transparent criteria.
The Road Ahead for ORF
As ORF enters this new chapter, they will confront numerous challenges such as a potential austerity package, cost management in programming, and adhering to transparency standards. With the positive economic close to the current year and forthcoming challenges on the horizon, the new supervisory board and ORF leadership will approach these obstacles with courage and innovative solutions.
In adherence to the new constitution of the ORF supervisory board, discussions surrounding policy-and-legislation, politics, and general-news are anticipated to be a part of the board's discourse as they navigate obstacles including a potential austerity package and cost management in programming. The board, consisting of members from various political positions and independent experts, will strive to expand transparency and objectivity, as evidenced by a recently approved motion for a review of cash-inserat allocations and counter-business agreements with domestic publishing houses based on clear, objective, and transparent criteria.
