ORF III Staff Warn of Unprecedented Cuts to Programming

The letter, which is available to APA, states: „Eine Halbierung des Programmbudgets ist im ORF-Konzern beispiellos." The staff fundamentally acknowledge that ORF III must also contribute to the savings targets. At the same time, however, they are resolutely resisting having programming and jobs sacrificed to a „unverhältnismäßigen und unternehmensschädigenden Sparpolitik". The uncertainty among employees is great, as the letter makes clear: „Die Sparpläne und der drohende Arbeitsplatzverlust verunsichern die Kolleginnen und Kollegen bei ORF III zutiefst."

Staff Warn of Loss of Programming and Jobs

ORF III is currently operated as a subsidiary of the ORF group. Even before the election of the new Director General, plans were being discussed to integrate the culture and information specialty channel into the parent organization. In the letter, the staff argue that such a halving of the programming budget, given ORF III's already lower production costs and salaries, would defy „jeder wirtschaftlichen Logik". The situation is further aggravated by the fact that the financing and contractual conditions for ORF III employees are significantly more favorable than those at the parent organization. Should the existing structure be dissolved, the staff assess that there is a risk that only few employees would be taken on.

At the end of June, Peter Fässlacher's contract had already been allowed to expire. Since then, Lou Lorenz-Dittlbacher has additionally taken on his duties. Kathrin Zierhut-Kunz had repeatedly warned in discussion panels about the fallacy that integration into the parent group would automatically make ORF III more cost-effective. Zierhut-Kunz had also applied for the ORF Director General position herself.

Affected Programs and Personnel Matters

Concern over specific programs is an additional worry for the staff. The letter explicitly names formats such as „Land der Berge", the discussion panel „Runde der ChefredakteurInnen", and prime-time opera broadcasts as being at risk. These programs symbolically represent the cultural profile that distinguishes ORF III from other channels. Should they be eliminated or significantly reduced, the loss for the Austrian audience would be tangible, according to the concern of the signatories.

ORF Confirms Pressure to Save, Refers to Group Strategy

In response to an APA inquiry, the ORF did not wish to comment on either the scale or the substantive details of the rumored savings measures. The company merely confirmed that the pressure to save is enormous and has a direct impact on ORF program production „trotz struktureller Sparmaßnahmen". It further stated that decisions on concrete measures are „das Ergebnis konzernweit koordinierter programmstrategischer Maßnahmen, deren oberstes Ziel es ist, weiterhin die Finanzierung öffentlich-rechtlicher Kernaufträge und Produktion publikumsstarker ORF-Angebote sicherzustellen".

At the same time, the ORF stated: „Programmangebote werden nur in jenen Bereichen gekürzt, wo es die strategische Evaluation empfiehlt. Aktuell werden deshalb u.a. programmliche und produktionsstrukturelle Doppel- oder Mehrgleisigkeiten evaluiert und gegebenenfalls bereinigt." Furthermore, the company announced that ORF's cultural offerings and structures would „verstärkt das Angebot von ORF III unterstützen, um sicherzustellen, dass dort weiterhin ein umfassendes Kulturprogramm angeboten werden kann".

Financial Situation and Outlook

The overall bundle of conflict — comprising financial pressure, organizational restructuring, and personnel uncertainty — comes at an already sensitive juncture. ORF III had recently also come under criticism over the questionable financing of several documentaries. The staff now see the programming identity and the future of the channel as acutely threatened. The open letter is an attempt to be heard before the new Director General takes office and to achieve a departure from a „unverhältnismäßigen" savings policy.

The overall financial situation of ORF III remains tight: The channel's total budget is estimated at around 30 million euros, of which roughly half — those same 15 million euros — accounts for the programming budget. Should this programming pot be halved, only about 7.5 million euros would remain for 2,300 hours of programming per year — a figure that, in the staff's assessment, would fall below any economically justifiable threshold.

Background: ORF III Between Subsidiary Status and Integration

The ORF cites a broad range of structural reasons to justify the necessary savings, including declining revenue from the program fee and rising costs in production and distribution. According to the company, a final decision on the extent of the cuts at ORF III has not yet been made. What is clear, however, is that the negotiations are likely to gain momentum immediately after the new leadership takes office — and that the staff intend to continue their resistance beyond the open letter.