- Maintain and enhance the spectrum of opinions and media diversity
- Foster the sense of Austrian identity
- Broaden and reinforce the twin-track broadcasting system
- Encourage reading and augment newspaper readership
- Promote initial and on-the-job training
These general objectives can be broken down into the following key areas for the work period 2010 to 2012:
Fair competition creates growth
The Austrian Newspaper Association sees itself as a body representing the interests of paid daily and weekly newspapers and magazines. This role is not an end in itself, but informs the day-to-day work of the association, its marketing activities and strategic goals with a view to segmenting different market participants.
In particular, the delineation between public-service media, different in essence from private media due to their financial structure and their concomitant tasks and responsibilities, constitutes one key area of activity.
Where the label says ORF, the content has to be public-service compatible
Shielding public-service broadcasting from commercial activities and envisaging a general advertising ban for public-service channels are not utopian goals. Several European countries have demonstrated that this can be done. The justification for user fees levied by public-service providers can be sustained only by ensuring the quality level of programming and by freeing public-service broadcasters from the ratings pressure generated by the advertising industry. Broadcasting licence fees – considered as a state subsidy – must not be used in competing with private media providers from a market-dominant position, thereby jeopardising the latters' survival. There is a need for clear regulations and a precisely formulated public-service remit.
Licence fees to flow entirely to the ORF
In order to shield the ORF from commercial and advertising pressures, it needs an honest and transparent financial structure. The existing system of fee distribution must be replaced by a new system corresponding to ORF needs. One thing is very clear: In terms of fees, Austria is at the upper end of the European scale, whereas it is in the bottom third when it comes to the fees actually received by the ORF. Those getting a free ride such as the national and provincial authorities (with the exception of Upper Austria and Salzburg) which derive considerable revenue under the guise of broadcasting licence fees – exceeding even income generated by advertising slots in Germany – ought here to clearly demonstrate their solidarity with the public-service broadcasting provider. No more nibbling away at fee revenues, but full transfer of the licence fees to the ORF.
Competition in the digital world: a global threat?
The internet is the essential marketplace of the future. Competing in this market are some of the most powerful and well-heeled international brands. Like the medium itself, operators such as Google fulfil a twin function. Media companies with a publishing background have to decide whether to opt for co-operation or competition. The market behaviour of search engines is geared to siphoning off advertising revenue without adding value to the national market while infringing the copyright of quality web content presented by daily and weekly newspapers and magazines, thereby seriously threatening digital business models. Improved content protection on the internet is a priority goal so as to ensure fair competition in the digital world.
Securing the future through quality
The VÖZ is an association of paid newspapers and magazines for which the readership is prepared to pay because of the perceptible benefit accruing from them. This appreciation needs to be consistently sustained and secured for the future through editorial quality.
- Editorial quality is the prerequisite for boosting circulation, market penetration and sales revenues, factors which are going to gain further in importance given fluctuating economic developments and structural changes in the advertising market.
- Editorial quality needs to be the main criterion distinguishing paid newspapers and magazines from other media. As paid newspapers and magazines are strong brands, this requirement must be fulfilled across all platforms.
Even if – with due regard for indispensable and fundamental professional and legal standards -- paid newspapers and magazines may vary in quality as a function of differing target groups and media types, editorial quality at every level is indispensable for securing the future.
In pursuit of the above objective, specific hands-on training options must be sought in co-operation with bodies engaged in initial and on-the-job training for journalists. Such training should seek to
- Promote greater professionalism at the editorial level through initial and on-going training (also for free-lance staff) and
- Share concepts and experience for fostering editorial quality management systems which should then become institutionalised progressively in all VÖZ member media.
In order to preserve freedom of the press in a responsible manner, effective self-discipline and self-criticism constitute not only the best protection against outside interference, but are also important contributing factors to quality assurance. With this conviction, the VÖZ played an essential role in the establishment of the new Austrian press council.
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