Clemens Pig restructures ORF director search and cancels July 21 election date

Pig justified the step on Monday with reference to European law: "Meine oberste Aufgabe ist es, für ein EMFA- (Europäisches Medienfreiheitsgesetz, Anm.) und ORF-gesetzeskonformes Auswahlverfahren zu sorgen", he said. He wants to ensure an "objektives, transparentes und nicht diskriminierendes Verfahren". The ORF office of the supervisory bodies stated that the postponement was necessary "um einen 'professionellen Auswahlprozess entsprechend allen gesetzlichen Vorgaben, insbesondere dem Europäischen Medienfreiheitsgesetz sicherstellen zu können'".

New process with external consultants

From Pig's circle, it was said that the new procedure was "die komplette Abkehr von der früheren Praxis der Sideletter, die es ja zuletzt angeblich ohnehin nicht gab und ein wichtiger Emanzipationsschritt des ORF von der Politik". With this, the Director General-designate responded to reports about a sideletter from the ÖVP and SPÖ on the margins of the 2025 coalition negotiations, which provided for an informal right of nomination. According to this, the SPÖ was to nominate for a radio and a program directorate, and the ÖVP for the finance and technology directorates. Representatives of both parties, including Vice Chancellor and Media Minister Andreas Babler, had denied the existence of the sideletter in recent months.

Pig, the former long-time CEO of APA, comes from Tyrol and is considered the ÖVP's favorite. In June, the SPÖ faction on the Foundation Council voted unanimously for him, including members close to it, while the ÖVP faction voted largely, but not unanimously, in his favor. Foundation Council members close to NEOS and FPÖ had criticized the haste in the director appointments.

For the selection process, Pig is bringing in two external HR consultants from Germany and Switzerland, according to his own statements, in order to obtain a "maximal äquidistanten Blick auf die Bewerbungen". These HR experts are to review the applications, draw up a shortlist, and evaluate in particular the areas of Public Value and Digitality. Those on the shortlist will be invited to an interview. Pig ultimately wants to assemble his team from the qualified candidates.

Advertised directorates

He is already noticing "eine große Anzahl an Interessenbekundungen", according to Pig. The selection is to be made according to the advertised criteria, as well as according to internationally customary criteria for the personnel selection of managers and according to skills in digital transformation and Public Value. According to STANDARD, the new process is based on the stricter requirements of the European Media Freedom Act, which demands a transparent, traceable, and fair procedure regarding the management of public-service media organizations.

In terms of content, Pig has already deviated from the previous division by advertising a Directorate for Audience and Platforms instead of the Radio Directorate. The advertised areas include "Programm und Brands", "Audience und Plattformen", "Finanzen und Verwaltung" as well as "Technologie und Innovation", in addition to nine regional directors for the years 2027 to 2031. The ORF is described in this context as a billion-euro company that is entitled to a professional selection procedure appropriate to its size.

If the process moves quickly, a proposal from the next ORF Director General to the Foundation Council and an appointment date can be expected in the first half of August. Pig has so far not commented on the available information in response to a STANDARD inquiry. The Foundation Council had originally set the timeline for the director appointments, which is now being replaced by the new, EMFA-compliant procedure.

(Harald Fidler, 29.6.2026)