RSO future: Secretary of State for Culture Mayer: “There must be a solution”

“It’s clear to me: There must be a solution for the continued existence of the RSO,” Mayer clarified, also referring to the cultural mission of the ORF, which should not be ignored in any savings plans. After all, the RSO is a world-class orchestra.

The Green culture spokeswoman Eva Blimlinger also joined the phalanx and scattered the RSO roses: “It has an absolute unique selling point in the field of contemporary music and is indispensable for the preservation of lively musical life in Austria.” The orchestra is irreplaceable for the local culture location: “The radio symphony orchestra must be preserved – we Greens see it as a common task of the cultural nation Austria to find a solution that ensures the preservation of the orchestra.”

Bernhard Günther, head of the Wien Modern New Music Festival, warned against a cultural suicide: “The abolition of the RSO Vienna, of all things due to media pressure from the federal government, would be tantamount to a political suicide of the cultural country Austria.” The RSO is one of the central pillars of Austrian cultural life and thus not least of ORF: “The RSO Vienna is one of the main arguments for public broadcasting in Austria.” He called on the ÖVP-led federal government to turn around: “The impression, probably not intended by the government, that a conservative party in government responsibility, of all people, was being driven through the village by populism in such a way that the ORF and Austrian cultural life suffered irreparable damage , should be corrected as soon as possible.”

And the union of private employees (GPA) made the wall to the RSO on Tuesday. After all, the ORF, as a media infrastructure, has the task of providing basic services in many areas. “This is not the only reason why cultural policy is called upon to ensure that the RSO is preserved,” it said.