The Austria section headed by the Viennese communication scientist Fritz Hausjell complained that Austria was the only EU country without a freedom of information law and also “the call for a sensible media promotion law that promotes quality instead of tabloids (edition) (…) so far remained unheard”. Also “the constant party-political influence on the ORF must urgently come to an end”.
“Convention for Media Freedom”
As a consequence of the crash, the opposition SPÖ called for the establishment of a “convention for freedom of the media”, which should work out the necessary reforms with the participation of civil society, experts and the opposition.
“There is an urgent need for a media freedom and transparency package once morest corruption and message control in order to support the media in their independent reporting,” said SPÖ media spokesman Jörg Leichtfried. Specifically, he also mentioned an increase in press funding and a new ORF law with more independence for the ORF committees.
NEOS made similar statements. “A free press is one of the cornerstones of a democracy. The governing parties, especially the Greens, must no longer stand idly by and watch as it slowly but surely dies,” warned media spokeswoman Henrike Brandstötter. Specifically, the ÖVP and the Greens would have to “immediately present a modern freedom of information law,” demanded the MP.
