ORF.at is to be jointly operated by Austrian media, Raiffeisen and Industry propose

Maria Scholl has been appointed as the interim head of the Austria Press Agency (APA). This decision was made during a shareholders' meeting of the APA on June 12, 2026. Alongside her, Klemens Ganner has been named second managing director. The appointment follows the early, mutual termination of contracts with former APA CEO Clemens Pig, who has been elected as the new general director of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) starting in 2027. Scholl, who has been leading the APA's editorial team since 2023, will now serve as a managing board member, while Ganner, previously COO of the APA group, assumes his new role as second managing director. Scholl expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to continue the leadership within the established management structure of the Austrian news agency group after ten successful years at the helm of the APA.

Scholl, born on October 25, 1984, has been working for the APA since 2007, making it nearly two decades of service. She holds a degree in comparative literary studies and psychology, and completed her doctorate in reading research methods. Since 2010, she has worked as a reporter in culture and science, later taking on roles such as news manager and chief of staff. In 2019, she became deputy editor-in-chief and oversaw several key structural and technological projects within the editorial department. Additionally, she was elected president of the Association of Editors-in-Chief in 2025. Ganner, born on May 18, 1976, studied business administration in Vienna and Illinois and joined the APA in 2003. Initially working in business development and key account management, he took over the management of the Bildagentur PictureDesk, which is now known as APA-Images, in 2009. In 2016, he became managing director of the subsidiary company APA-DeFacto, now called APA-Comm, and has served as a proxy of the Austria Press Agency since 2019. In 2023, he also assumed the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the APA Group.

The transition in leadership at the APA comes amid broader discussions about the future of public broadcasting in Austria. A strategic paper proposed by Raiffeisen and the Industrial Union suggests that the "blue side" of the ORF—its online platform—should become a shared platform operated by all Austrian media. This model draws inspiration from the APA, which operates as a cooperative among most major Austrian media companies. The ORF currently holds the largest share in this cooperative, with participation from all major publishing houses except the Kronen Zeitung and Heute. The proposal aims to foster cooperation in line with media policy guidelines, emphasizing clear agreements, transparency, compliance with competition laws, editorial independence, and fair cost logic. The document emerged from a discussion session at the Salzburg Summit in summer 2025 involving media managers from both the ORF and private media outlets. The Industrial Union, despite its limited involvement in the Kurier, and Raiffeisen, which owns shares in several media companies, have taken charge of further processing the proposal. The new ORF director, Clemens Pig, was not involved in the process but will soon receive the document along with the government.

Clemens Pig, who has been appointed as the new ORF general director starting in 2027, faces significant challenges ahead. During a lengthy hearing process before the foundation board, Pig successfully secured his position, overcoming initial skepticism. He described the current financial situation of the ORF as being under pressure, referring to it as "fire at the roof." Pig emphasized the need for the ORF to adapt to the digital age, focusing on strengthening regional reporting, creating new offerings for younger audiences, and launching a "digital offensive." His vision includes a public-service platform concept that connects information, culture, and entertainment to reach diverse target groups. However, the ORF's legal framework contains several restrictions that Pig plans to address in dialogue with the government in September. He denied allegations of political bias, stating that there was no consistent party line during the selection process, which he viewed positively.

Pig outlined his plans for restructuring the ORF, including abolishing the existing radio director position and integrating it into his own portfolio alongside areas such as strategy, independence, budget, and implementation. He intends to establish a finance director position and departments focused on technology and innovation, programming and brands, and audience and platforms. The department responsible for programming and brands will handle program planning, individual brands, and broadcast slots. Pig also mentioned evaluating the integration of the outsourced ORF III channel back into the ORF. The platform department will focus on strategic program planning beyond broadcast slots and developing digital outreach strategies. In the technology sector, Pig aims to enhance streaming quality and utilize AI tools.

Financial constraints pose a significant challenge for the ORF. The household fee, legally frozen until 2029 at 15.30 euros per month, combined with a reduction of 93 million euros annually starting in 2027 due to the government’s decision to eliminate compensation for lost value-added tax revenue, threatens the stability of the ORF. Current ORF interim director Ingrid Thurnher had already warned that these changes could shake the foundations of the ORF. Pig acknowledges these financial pressures and emphasizes the need for reforms, including rewriting the ORF law, to ensure the organization's sustainability and relevance in the evolving media landscape.