ORF household fee is fixed

Media Minister Susanne Raab (ÖVP) and Green Party chairwoman Sigrid Maurer announced a corresponding government agreement on Thursday at a joint press conference in the Federal Chancellery. The “ORF amount” will be 15 euros per month plus state taxes, instead of the previous 22.45 euros.

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The conversion will take place on January 1, 2024. The ORF contribution will be collected for each main residence, purely secondary residences are excluded from this. “This brings a significant benefit for the 3.2 million fee payers,” emphasized Media Minister Susanne Raab (ÖVP). With the state taxes, it will “be the same as before,” said Raab. “The federal states have the sole competence to collect them. There are also federal states that don’t do that.”

Those who were previously exempt from the GIS will remain so, it said. Anyone who has previously paid for the GIS by standing order will be debited less in the future, payment slip payers will continue to receive a payment slip, but with a lower amount, explained Raab. No new registration is necessary. The federal tax and the art sponsorship contribution will be eliminated and will be covered from the budget in the future, explained Maurer. The sales tax on the current ORF program fee does not apply.

Transparency offensive at ORF

Raab welcomes the fact that the ORF is undergoing a savings package worth 325 million euros. In addition, the ORF is prescribed a transparency offensive that standardizes reporting obligations. In the future, for example, salaries based on the BBC model, secondary employment, allowances and detailed information on advertising and cooperation must be disclosed, according to Raab.

The conversion of ORF financing became necessary due to a decision by the Constitutional Court (VfGH). The exclusive streaming of ORF programs will also have to be paid for from 2024. Until now, TV and radio program fees have been paid. Around 400,000 new households will be added as a result of the VfGH ruling. This ensures “stable financing” for the ORF, according to Raab.

“The ORF belongs to everyone”

The government acknowledged that public service broadcasting has value for democracy. Against the background of disinformation, objective journalism is essential, said Maurer. “The ORF belongs to everyone, so it should be paid for by everyone.” According to Maurer, the federal government has also committed to the continuation of the content of the special interest channel Sport + and to the continued existence of the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra (RSO) in a financially sustainable manner. According to Maurer, the exact solutions for this should first be worked out.

At the media location you need a dual system of private and public law, affirmed Raab. “We also want the media to be fit for the future, which is why we are working intensively on a digital amendment.” In this way, one wants to ensure that the ORF can use new digital possibilities, since the current regulations are no longer up to date, according to the minister, who emphasized, however, that this must be done in coordination with the private media market. However, there is no time horizon yet, the minister asked for patience. Maurer also emphasized that they wanted to make the ORF “fit and competitive”, especially in order to reach young people.