Helmut Melzer
“The Communications Authority Austria (KommAustria) is the independent and independent Regulatory and supervisory authority for electronic audio media and electronic audiovisual media in Austria,” said KommAustria itself at their Website . This also includes supervision of the state television ORF. However, as the latter confirms in a report on the re-election of KommAustria boss Michael Ogris: "The government extended tomorrow the five KommAustria members will be in office in the Council of Ministers.”
Unfortunately, it doesn't sound that independent, just as the ORF has long had to put up with being politically occupied and therefore also not independent. The state medium, for which all Austrians will soon be paying a flat rate, has repeatedly had to accept criticism for a lack of journalistic due diligence and a lack of objectivity - especially when it comes to domestic, controversial topics.
Sedition in the ORF?
A good example of this is an ORF report about the Election celebrations after the last Erdogan victory in Vienna. You can say what you want about Erdogan, but: If you, as a state medium, only allow those parties (ÖVP, FPÖ) to have their say in a socially explosive matter that would like to build a wall around Austria, you should probably use the term “incitement to hatred” and Don't even use "objectivity" anymore. Mind you: the report criticizes people who have exercised and celebrate their democratic rights. Peaceful, noisy at best. But that's what our football fans are all about.
Freedom of opinion at Wegscheider
But now this: Following a complaint by the Concordia press club, KommAustria found five cases of violations of the objectivity requirement (Section 41 (1) of the Audiovisual Media Services Act) at Servus TV. The impetus for criticism was “the Wegscheider”. Everyone is allowed to think what they want about that, too. KommAustria's opinion: The format should be classified as an opinion commentary on current events with isolated satirical elements. And for that it is important to maintain objectivity.
The Federal Administrative Court saw things differently a few days ago – and overturned the decision of the media authority without replacement. Tenor: The Wegscheider is satire and satire is allowed to do that.
Political attack on freedom of the press in Klagenfurt
Anyone who now believes in an isolated case is greatly mistaken. Recently, a case in Carinthia caused a stir. After investigative research into the director of the Klagenfurt magistrate, the work equipment of a freelance journalist was confiscated by the public prosecutor's office in Klagenfurt and investigations into "contributors to abuse of office" were initiated.
The investigative work of the Klagenfurt public prosecutor's office also clearly contradicts the code of honor for the Austrian press: Point 1.1 states that the collection and dissemination of news and comments must not be hindered. Alexander Warzilek, Managing Director of the Press Council, on this: “The confiscation of the work equipment makes journalistic work de facto impossible. Those responsible are called upon to end this encroachment on press freedom immediately.”
With lawsuits against the public
Climate activists are also increasingly being monitored and sued by corporations – such as OMV – and governments. Read here. So extreme that it has a name: SLAPP extension (English strategic lawsuit against public participation = strategic Lawsuit against public participation) is the name of a procedure to silence public criticism. It's a slap in the face for the free-thinking world. This has been a tradition in Austria for a long time. For example, animal rights activists were dragged into court by the VGT around 15 years ago and forced into private bankruptcy. Recently, SPAR also complained because they were associated with animal suffering by animal rights activists.
Reprisals against global rethinking
Unfortunately, it has to be acknowledged that political and economic forces are using all means to defend themselves against a global rethinking towards a more just future. The principle has a name: neoliberalism, in Austria ÖVP. Too bad the Greens are not in government.
