Journalism serves the public. In Austria, this service is usually dependent on other interests. There are a few exceptions. One of them is the Vienna weekly FALTER. The FALTER under its editor Armin Thurnher creates independent journalism.
Some might think that Dietrich Mateschitz’ RED BULL MEDIA HOUSE would also pursue such an approach, only from the other, the “right-wing” side. Does Dietrich Mateschitz create independent journalism? It is not so.
The motto of the Mateschitz media is: “You may write anything. But you don’t write anything about me!” Can you imagine Ferdinand Wegscheider or Michael Fleischhacker reporting on the labour conditions or the financial management of the Red Bull Group?
This is just as unimaginable as a report in the daily KURIER or weekly PROFIL about the business practices of Raiffeisen or the corruption of Rene Benko. “Whose bread I eat, I sing whose song.” Mateschitz journalism is just as dependent as Raiffeisen journalism. This journalism has been bought.
The STYRIA Group and DER STANDARD, on the other hand, may be financially independent, but both are ideologically dependent. Can we imagine revelations there about the Catholic Church or the Israelite religious community? This question alone touches a taboo. Even if I agree with both ideologically, their reporting is not really free. Their journalism is accordingly limited and always predictable.
The opposite is the case with the Dichand family. I credit these editors of KRONE and HEUTE for doing independent journalism, even if I mostly disagree with the content. The Dichand family’s journalism is independent of other interests. This journalism only pursues maximum self-interest. I dislike this approach.
On the other hand, I like Armin Thurnher’s FALTER’s approach. It pursues minimal self-interest. So can you imagine Florian Klenk, Barbara Toth or Raimund Löw reporting on Armin Thurnher’s mistakes?
It is not necessary at all. He’ll take care of that himself. Armin Thurnher is the only owner who doesn’t hide. This makes the FALTER vulnerable, but unique in terms of content.
While all other regional newspapers are regionally focused in their journalism, FALTER is not. The FALTER is the capital city newspaper. This also makes it formally unique in Austria.
The FALTER is the journalistic fortune of this country.
Last, the Fellner family doesn’t do journalism at all. The Fellner family only does business. The Fellner family’s business does not serve the public. But on the contrary. The Fellner family’s business is served by the public. The Fellner family’s media are the journalistic misfortune of this country. The Fellner family’s media are reprehensible.
Finally, the ORF. The Austrian public broadcasting ORF belongs to all of us. The Austrian public broadcasting does not belong to the government or a corporation. The ORF belongs to all of us. I hope it stays like this.
Overall, there are several small newspapers online and in print, daily, weekly and monthly. We also got used to Podcasts meanwhile. And we have a few regional and nationwide private TV and Radio stations. All of them are much too many to mention here.
By the way, my favorite daily newspaper is SALZBURGER NACHRICHTEN. These seem to be in an unexcited manner as independent as possible. In addition, they offer a distant view of Vienna, which is always beneficial.
Practically, in addition to the FALTER, I read DIE PRESSE AM SONNTAG in the print edition weekly. Then I know what the “left” think, then I know what the “right” think. And then you already know the entire spectrum across the country.
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Vienna Calling 