Clemens Pig elected new ORF General Director: 21 of 35 votes

Background: A divided Foundation Council

Pig strictly rejected this connection in several hearings and emphasized: „Er wies auch Vorwürfe einer parteipolitischen Besetzung zurück und betonte, dass er nie von irgendjemandem eine Zusage erhalten hätte. Er habe auch nie Zusagen erteilt.“ That he was regarded as the government's candidate had been a "mediale Hypothek", which has been "endgültig abbezahlt" with the result of the ORF election.

The designated General Director, currently still listed as the former managing director of APA (Austria Press Agency), will take over the ORF in a phase of profound upheaval. According to Pig, the broadcaster is suffering from a massive loss of image since various affairs came to light. The editorial committee had voted internally and identified Lisa Totzauer as the desired candidate to succeed Roland Weißmann, who had been dismissed from the position.

Reform course: Digital, regional, independent

Pig outlined a clear reform program in his first appearances. He said verbatim: „Mit den Reichweiten im Fernsehen und Radio ist Pig sehr zufrieden, er möchte den ORF aber für die digitale Zukunft fit machen." He identifies "digitale Fesseln im ORF-Gesetz, die gelöst gehören", without specifying them, and sees a "Reihe von Restriktionen" in the ORF Act that are problematic. The ORF Act must be rewritten.

In terms of content, Pig wants to anchor the ORF more firmly in the "demokratischen Mitte". He said: „Alle werden gesehen und alle fühlen sich gesehen." The ORF must not broadcast "aus einem bestimmten Milieu heraus für ein anderes Milieu", but must act in a polarized society as a kind of "Kühlmittel" and work openly and transparently. International licensed content is to be significantly reduced in order to make the ORF "unverwechselbar", while at the same time he wants to focus on Austrian and regional programming.

Financial situation: 90 million euros less from 2028

At the same time, Pig warned of the financial situation: there is "Feuer am Dach" at the ORF, he said, referring to 90 million euros that the broadcaster is set to receive less from 2028. SPÖ Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer has already enshrined in his budget that the ORF must do without 93 million euros in the future. Pig is placing his hopes in the ORF Future Forum, which is to serve as the starting signal for an ORF reform for Media Minister Andreas Babler (SPÖ) in the autumn.

Regarding the age structure of the audience, Pig said: „Der durchschnittliche ORF-Zuseher beim Fernsehen geht auf die 60 zu." That is one of the major challenges the broadcaster must face. Pig announced that he wanted to "mit empirischen Daten messen und belegen" the independence of the ORF in the future. He did not perceive an activist slant at the ORF, but: „Das ist als normativer Anspruch wichtig."

Personnel changes at the Küniglberg

Ingrid Thurnher had managed affairs on an interim basis after Weißmann's dismissal. In addition to Weißmann, ORF advertising chief Oliver Böhm and manager Pius Strobl were also released. Labor court proceedings between Weißmann and the ORF are ongoing. Pig emphasized that he wanted to develop "differenzierte regionale Programm-Marken" and shape reporting in such a way that it connects "Österreich als Ganzes, als Gesellschaft". In contrast to social media, which divide the country, the ORF must address topics that make the urban-rural or generational divide visible.

The ORF, based at the Küniglberg in Vienna, is considered one of the most important and lucrative positions in the Austrian media world. With Pig's election, a phase of uncertainty comes to an end – the next tasks are already waiting: the reform of the ORF Act, financial consolidation, and the digital transformation of the broadcaster.