ORF mudslinging
Weißmann suspended: Foundation board wants clarification
Following the resignation of ORF Director General Roland Weißmann, there are now calls for a "comprehensive investigation into the case" covering all its facets and background. This is the wish of ORF Foundation Board Chairman Heinz Lederer (SPÖ) and his deputy Gregor Schütze (ÖVP).
The ORF's compliance office will soon be looking into the allegations of sexual harassment, which Weißmann denies. In addition, a task force is to be set up to address the management culture within the company.
Thurnher to take over on an interim basis on Thursday
The ORF Foundation Board will ask the future management—on Thursday, ORF Radio Director Ingrid Thurnher is to be entrusted with the provisional management of the business—to set up such a task force.
Plaintiff hired a lawyer directly
Lederer finds it thought-provoking that the woman concerned did not contact the whistleblower hotline or the ORF's equality commission, but instead hired a lawyer directly and approached the foundation board. "We want to know why she didn't take the normal route. Why are women afraid to take this route?" Lederer wondered whether the instruments provided for such cases at ORF might be somewhat blunt.
Weißmann's future uncertain
Weißmann himself is currently on leave. Whether he will return to regular work at ORF is uncertain and will likely depend on how things develop at the compliance office. Lederer and Schütze have made an appointment with the compliance office and intend to present the facts of the case in detail. They are also considering hiring an external company to assist with the investigation.
Lederer emphasized once again that after the woman contacted her, they acted "quickly." Lawyers were present at every stage, and Weißmann was not pressured to resign as director general. Weißmann himself sees things differently and announced on Tuesday through his lawyer that Lederer is spreading "untruths."
Lawyers were present at every stage and we did not pressure Roland Weißmann to resign as Director General.
ORF-Stiftungsratsvorsitzender Heinz Lederer
ORF "fully functional"
In principle, the ORF is "fullyfunctional"despite the resignation, Lederer said. The chairman of the foundation board also sees no problem with regard to the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in May. There is a comprehensive team behind it that works around the clock.
Foundation Board: The case for Thurnher
Thurnher was chosen as interim director general because she embodies the "public service DNA." She has always placed independence at the top of her agenda and has been an outstanding ORF III editor-in-chief and now radio director. The plan is for Thurnher to continue as radio director, Schütze said. The only question is whether this job now also has to be advertised. Lawyers are looking into this.
Special meeting for the appointment of a new general director(
) An initial call for applications for the position of general director until the end of 2026 is now to be issued "without delay." Lederer did not want to commit to a date for the appointment, but he said it could be in June. A second job posting for the actual next term of office starting in 2027 will be issued in early May. To this end, there will be a special meeting of the Foundation Board in April to agree on the job posting criteria and present them. Lederer and Schütze hope that as many people as possible will apply for both terms of office.
Apart from the turmoil surrounding the resignations, the ORF Foundation Board will also discuss new rules of procedure for the ORF's highest body on Thursday. The behavior of Peter Westenthaler, who was appointed to the Foundation Board by the FPÖ, had recently caused discontent among other Foundation Board members on several occasions during meetings.
Streamlining of debates in the Foundation Board
In future, for "efficiency reasons," a "more streamlined debate" will be implemented. To this end, it will be possible to no longer allow repetitive comments. "It is unacceptable for the limits of good taste to be exceeded. Therefore, there will also be the possibility of calls to order. I will use these very sparingly," said Foundation Board Chairman Lederer, emphasizing that the changes to the rules of procedure were not a "solo effort," but had been the subject of a broad debate.
Lederer intends to refrain from bringing the muzzle and whip to committee meetings. He also assumes that calls to order will be obeyed and that colleagues will no longer be shouted at or pressured. If this is not the case, the future rules of procedure also provide for the withdrawal of the right to speak and the interruption of meetings.
Public service mandate under scrutiny
The ORF Foundation Board also wants to hold another "Future Day." This time, the topic of the public service mandate will be addressed in May or June, Schütze explained. After all, the federal government has announced a major reform debate on this issue.
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