Everybody claims it. With enticing announcements, advertising messages and promises. Everyone seems to deliver quality. But who can you trust? Is it possible to define media quality, despite

the multitude of different tastes? Do we have verifiable criteria to document, evaluate and control media quality objectively?

ORF’s Quality Assurance System is proof that it is possible not only to invoke

media quality, but to control it consistently. Numerous elements document,

evaluate and check media production in TV, radio and online. Through audience

and expert reflection, scientific analysis, representative surveys, and insights

into the practice of daily journalistic work. This makes ORF’s Quality Assurance

System, and experts agree on this, a benchmark for Europe.

The focus is on fulfilling the public service mandate, defined in the ORF Act.

As a “broadcaster of society” ORF addresses its audience not exclusively as

media consumers, but as citizens, and thus has political significance relevant

for democracy. Media users should be able to rely on the information they

receive. This is why the distinctive media quality of Public Service Media is

more than a marketing slogan but has to create Public Value – for audiences,

citizens, for society and democracy. In this booklet we document the extensive and multi-faceted approach the ORF has implemented to check its media production.

You can find all these articles and complementary information about ORF,

facts&figures, videos and relevant expertise about media quality on our Public

Value website: zukunft.ORF.at