The Next ORF Controversy

Foundation board members “intervened” on behalf of their clients

Schütze and Lederer have been in the spotlight since the Weißmann affair broke.(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

Once again, there is a stir at Küniglberg over the controversial Foundation Board. As the “Krone” has learned, ORF Foundation Board Chairman Heinz Lederer and his deputy Gregor Schütze forwarded a complaint from the Medical Association regarding the reporting to the now-resigned ORF Director General Roland Weißmann. The explosive aspect of this: Both work for the Medical Association as consultants.

The “Krone” has reported several times on the questionable entanglements between the business dealings of the Foundation Board members and their roles on the supervisory board of the public broadcaster. The fact that Lederer, who is close to the SPÖ, and Schütze, who is close to the ÖVP, both serve as consultants for the Medical Association has also been reported in the “Krone.” Before the Weißmann affair broke, however, this was unknown to both the general public and the ORF.

Schütze and Lederer have been in the spotlight since the Weißmann affair emerged.(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

Outrage in the ORF editorial department
Now, during an internal ORF meeting on Thursday, an email was read aloud revealing that the Medical Association had complained to Lederer and Schütze about a radio report on primary care centers roughly a year ago because the Association had not been portrayed favorably in it. The two forwarded the letter to Weißmann, who subsequently passed it on to the editorial staff.

When asked by the “Krone,” Schütze confirmed this sequence of events but rejected the accusation of “interference.” He stated that he had never interfered in editorial matters.

Complaints about reports are commonplace in all media. However, how to handle them is also the subject of heated debate within the ORF. There is outrage among journalists over the behavior of the foundation board members.

FPÖ calls for the resignation of the leadership duo
The FPÖ responded to the “Krone” report with sharp criticism and a call for Lederer and Schütze to resign. “This is yet another distasteful blurring of the private business interests of the board members and their roles at ORF,” said Christian Hafenecker. “Lederer and Schütze are abusing their positions of power at ORF and should therefore resign.” The “loud silence” of Media Minister Andreas Babler is unbearable for Hafenecker. “Babler continues to shield his comrade Lederer.”