Austria

[AT] ORF Must Operate Sports Channel

IRIS 2006-3:1/15

Robert Rittler

Gassauer-Fleissner Attorneys at Law, Vienna

By an amendment to the ORF -Gesetz (ORF Act), the Austrian Parliament has made it compulsory for Österreichischer Rundfunk (the Austrian public service broadcaster - ORF) to provide a specialist TV channel. The channel should offer information about all sports-related issues, stimulate public interest in playing sport and report on sports which are normally given little coverage in the Austrian media. No further details were given on the number or length of the programmes that should be broadcast.

The channel will have to be broadcast via satellite. Cable operators will also be obliged to carry it via their networks.

ORF was already allowed to operate a specialist channel under the previous law, although it was prohibited from using any funds received through subscription fees for this purpose and from broadcasting it terrestrially.

ORF has previously run specialist channel TW1, initially in partnership with another company and subsequently on its own (see IRIS 2005-9: 6). This channel provides information on tourism, weather and sport.