ORF dismisses advertising chief Oliver Böhm without notice

The background to the separation is allegations that ORF, according to its own account, has examined. The review concluded, according to "Kurier", "dass in mehrerlei Hinsicht Verhalten an den Tag gelegt wurde, das eine Weiterbeschäftigung im Unternehmen unmöglich macht". Which specific allegations are at stake have not been made public in detail by ORF in the reporting so far. The broadcaster merely referred to the outcome of the internal review as the reason for the immediate termination of the collaboration.

ORF's response: Review and immediate separation

With the removal decision, the question of succession is also open. ORF will "zeitnah die Weichen für die Bestellung einer neuen Geschäftsführung der ORF-Enterprise stellen", reports "Kurier" citing the broadcaster. Until then, another executive apparently takes over the agenda on an interim basis. Names were not yet mentioned in the available reports.

ORF-Enterprise is a wholly owned subsidiary of ORF and is considered one of the most important revenue sources of public broadcasting in Austria. In addition to classic TV and radio advertising, it also markets digital advertising space as well as the print publication "Nachlese". The annual gross revenue of around 200 million euros makes the company a central building block of ORF financing.

Open questions about succession

The case comes at a phase in which ORF is already facing far-reaching changes. In recent months, discussions have repeatedly arisen about the future direction of the broadcaster, the planned reform of the ORF Act, and about austerity measures. Personnel changes at the leadership level are politically and economically sensitive in this environment because they affect the stability of revenue streams.

For Thurnher, the decision is also a signal internally and externally. With the quick separation from Böhm, she takes potential reputational risks away from the broadcaster and from the advertising-marketing subsidiary early on. At the same time, she must now quickly present a successor in order not to interrupt the operational work of Enterprise and to safeguard the ongoing advertising campaigns for ORF programs.

Significance for ORF in a reform phase

Observers of the Austrian media landscape consider the step unusually harsh. A dismissal without notice at the level of a CEO is rarely pronounced in public-law institutions and usually only occurs when serious allegations are at stake. The fact that ORF itself publicly cites the review of the allegations indicates that the broadcaster sees solid evidence.

It remains unclear so far whether, in addition to disciplinary, also labor-law or criminal consequences are looming. The reporting does not commit itself on this. Should new details about the allegations become known, an expansion of the debate about control and compliance at ORF would be expected – not least against the backdrop of the ongoing reform discussion.

In industry circles, reference is also made to the importance of stable advertising revenues for ORF programming. Enterprise forms the bridge between the broadcaster and advertising companies; slumps in this area have a direct effect on the budget for information, culture and sport. An orderly transitional solution at the top of Enterprise is therefore considered a priority.