Thurher's Live Statement

“Respect for our owners—the audience”

On Thursday, Ingrid Thurnher was elected interim head of the ORF by a clear majority.(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

As the newly elected interim head of ORF, Ingrid Thurnher faces a difficult task: she must clean up the chaos of the past few months. At noon today, she will hold her first press conference in her new position—follow her statement via livestream.

Just last Thursday, Ingrid Thurnher was elected to lead the ORF with a clear majority (31 votes to 3, with one abstention). As the new interim head, she will be the second woman since 1967 to steer the ORF’s course until the end of 2026. Now she wants to “regain the public’s trust.”

At the outset, Thurnher expressed her gratitude for the “great trust that has been placed in me for the second time in six weeks.” She accepts this task “with great respect”: “For the job, the organization, the employees, and the actual owners—that is our audience.”

On Thursday, Ingrid Thurnher was elected interim head of ORF by a clear majority.(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

Addressing the issues “clearly and without evasion”
She is taking on this role at a time “when the ORF is the subject of heated debate.” The issues that have arisen, such as those surrounding the Roland Weißmann case, will be addressed “clearly, consistently, and without evasion.” To this end, an independent Transparency Council, free from external directives, has already been established. “We will address this properly, in compliance with all legal requirements and personal rights.”

For her, transparency does not mean “prejudgment and public trials involving other media outlets.” Nevertheless, many people have asked her how “something like this can’t be sexual harassment”: “For me personally, it was clear from the start that this behavior was wrong and unacceptable for a manager.” That is why proceedings were initiated to terminate Weißmann’s employment. 

For me personally, it was clear from the very beginning that this behavior was wrong and unacceptable for a manager. That is why I issued the termination.

Die neue ORF-Chefin Ingrid Thurnher zur Causa Weißmann

Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch

“Consistent accountability and reliable fulfillment of our mandate” is her guiding principle, Thurnher said. Additionally, she aims for “unconditional audience focus”; programming guidelines will be revised, and brands and content are to be better positioned. The goal is to better align with the consumption habits of future generations. 

Thurnher’s strategy to lead the ORF out of the crisis.(Bild: Jasmin Gaderer)

It remains unclear whether Thurnher will reapply
Thurnher has not yet indicated whether she will run for another term as Director General. In any case, the position will be advertised on May 1.

Until then, the new interim head has a truly thankless job and must clean up the chaos that has reigned at Austrian Broadcasting for months. 

At ORF, efforts are apparently being made to calm things down... A sign right at the entrance.(Bild: Jasmin Gaderer)

The root of all the trouble is said to have been triggered by former Director General Roland Weißmann, who is alleged to have sexually harassed a female employee and subsequently had to resign. In the meantime, the chat logs have already been made public. 

However, there was criticism of the ORF’s investigative report on the matter; the compliance office had concluded in it that there had been “no sexual harassment” by Weißmann. The Office of the Commissioner for Equal Opportunity noted, however, that such a determination is the exclusive purview of a court. This also sparked discussions within the Foundation Board.