The ORF Editorial Council, representing journalists from Austrian national broadcaster ORF, raised concerns on Friday about the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) attempting to undermine ORF. The FPO, having secured 29% of the vote in September, faced criticism for its intentions to form a government with the conservative People's Party (OVP), with whom it's the only potential coalition partner.
The FPO has targeted ORF, a reputable organization known for its influential news programs, accusing it of left-wing bias and attempting to sway viewers. The FPO aims to cut funding for ORF, claiming it propagates a specific agenda rather than providing unbiased reporting.
A statement from the ORF Editorial Council expressed worry about the FPO's push for "party propaganda" over independent journalism, drawing parallels to actions by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to control the media. The council stressed the importance of media independence during coalition talks, urging the OVP to uphold democratic values and media freedom by not aligning with the FPO's agenda.
In response, FPO's Christian Hafenecker dismissed ORF journalists' concerns, asserting the sovereignty of voters in a parliamentary democracy and criticizing the ORF Editorial Council for lacking democratic legitimacy.