Austria

[AT] ORF Owns All Shares in TW1

IRIS 2005-9:1/7

Sonnia Wüst

Institute of European Media Law (EMR), Saarbrücken/Brussels

In September 2005, ORF acquired 50% of the shares in TW1 and is now the sole shareholder in the specialist TV channel. ORF now owns the shares previously held by Sitour GmbH, which provides advertising in ski resorts. Since it was founded by ORF and Sitour in 1997, TW1 has provided a free digital service, broadcasting 24 hours a day across Europe with emphasis on leisure, travel, weather and sport. It can be received by 51% of Austrian households via cable and digital satellite. The ORF Foundation Board has yet to ratify the purchase.