Weißmann’s new challenge

Roland Weißmann will blow a politically motivated colder wind right at the beginning of his work as ORF General Director in January – if the ORF Foundation Board has to be reconstituted by law in May.

Weissmann was elected ORF general on August 10 with 24 votes – all of which were part of the bourgeois camp – with an absolute majority. Behind the scenes, Gerald Fleischmann was working on the order, at that time the powerful media officer of the then Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. Fleischmann’s link on the board of trustees was the turquoise circle of friends Thomas Zach. Roland Weißmann’s raising of the general staff into office was often interpreted as the result of “good discussions”, although Weißmann, who was born in Linz, is definitely attested to having a high level of expertise.

The situation has changed since yesterday because the ÖVP is now more black than turquoise again after the government reshuffle. In other words, the federal states have more political influence again and will demand this by sending “adequate” representatives to the ORF supervisory body. Currently the board of trustees (which has to be re-elected every four years) is still a reflection of the former turquoise-blue government. The chair is the blue ex-vice chancellor Norbert Steger.

Thomas Prantner, one of Weißmann’s competitors in the election of the general director, will be leaving ORF next autumn “on the best of terms”. Prantner: “I was offered a management position in-house as the main department head, but I have decided to leave the company after 33 years.” Until then, Prantner will, among other things, take part in the reorganization of ORF as an authorized signatory in the technical directorate. His personal career highlights were the founding of ORF-TVthek in 2009, the ORF-Radiothek in 2019 and the candidacy for the election to general director in 2021, according to Prantner.