Annual Public Value Studies are an important component of ORF's Quality Assurance System because they address problems and challenges that are still unresolved for Public Service Media. The studies provide a glimpse into the future of public

service broadcasting, explore untapped potential, and are thus intended to facilitate a sophisticated quality media discourse. Based on scientific analyses, the researchers make recommendations for action - both to the public broadcasters, who use the studies as a practical basis for their programming work, and to legislators and regulatory authorities.

In recent years in particular, Public Value Studies have often been interdisciplinary

and international in scope. Cooperation with other European public broadcasters and the European umbrella organization of Public Service Media (EBU) has proven its worth, as questions such as those concerning digital transformation ("Digital Transformation: From Broadcaster to Quality Network," 2020), increasing news avoidance ("Information Deprivation & News-Avoiding," 2019) or trust in Public Service Media ("Values and Trust," 2021) concern not only ORF but also other public broadcasters. The first study commissioned by ORF was entitled "Why migrants currently make little or no use of ORF programming in the areas of television, radio and online - and what innovations and measures can be used to appeal to them

more" (2007). During the study, Fritz Hausjell (University of Vienna), a journalism

and communications scientist, was able to show that migrants do not feel

that they are a "natural part" of Austrian society in most media. For this reason,

they would often turn to media from their countries of origin or specific media

offerings for migrants. The interviewees were working on developing some

formats where they would feel addressed if they were to exist on ORF. The

participants interviewed for the study also highlighted a lack of representation

of migrants among ORF staff. Hausjell suggested that the ORF should not only

focus more on migration in its content, but also show clear signs of openness

to migrant job applicants. If the editorial offices become more diverse, this will

also apply to the content.

The quantitative study "The Economic Effects of ORF Television" (2012)

by Mathias Firgo (WIFO), Oliver Fritz (WIFO) and Gerhard Streicher (Joanneum

Research) was able to show that ORF makes a significant contribution to

macroeconomic and regional value creation through its activities as a major

business enterprise. ORF's current expenditures and investments multiply

the value-added activities of other sectors of the Austrian economy. Among

other things, this showed that each euro of gross value added generated in

ORF's television operations in the form of wages, salaries and depreciation and

amortization contributed a total of EUR 3.20 to the overall gross value added

in the economy at that time. For every person employed in ORF television, there

are a total of five employees in other areas of the Austrian economy. Overall, ORF generated around EUR 1.8 billion in total economic production value in

2012. The results underpin the contribution of public television to Austria's

economic performance.

After the 2012 study dealt with the economic significance of ORF, Katharine

Sarikakis (University of Vienna) addressed the question of ORF television's

contribution to the intellectual value creation of Austrian society in their

study (2013). She defined three areas through which ORF contributes to this

intellectual value creation: In its preservation of cultural diversity and identity,

and in its innovative creativity. Based on scientific literature and empirical

case studies, the author noted the status quo and addressed some specific

recommendations for action to the company and legislators. Intellectual value

creation in culture is most effectively realized, they said, by making everyday

culture as much a subject of programmes as high culture. According to the

recommendation, the ORF's work in this area should be accessible on all significant

platforms (TV, radio, online) to reach all social classes and generation

groups and to consolidate the relevance of the ORF in the long term. The scientists

consider the support of the state and the regulatory authorities to be

indispensable in achieving these goals. For the area of identity, it is central

for ORF to consider the fact of demographic change as well as the growing

cultural diversity of Austrian society when producing its content. In addition,

the author recommends a programme focus on European topics and making

ORF's own reputation visible within the European public institutions and the

European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Finally, it is relevant to continue to fulfill

its own integrative function, for example by including people with special needs.

In the area of social innovation, the authors suggested producing entertainment

programs that give audiences critical access to their own social world.

Here the author emphasizes the important role of legislation and regulatory

authorities, which should provide ORF with additional resources to develop

such formats, especially for young people.

A study from 2016 deals with young people and their living environment.

The Public Value Competence Center was concerned at the time that people

kept talking about "young people" without really knowing who they were. The

study "Generation What? - The Online Experiment" set out to change this. As

part of a large-scale online survey, the study aimed to clarify, among other

things: How do young people see and define themselves? The online survey

contained a total of 149 questions, in which around one million young people

from 35 countries took part. In addition to a comprehensive data set of information

on the self-image of Europe's youth, a European public sphere was

created through the project. Public Service Media provided the platforms and

subjected the responses to the open online survey to scientific evaluation in

cooperation with social science institutes. Even if the results are not representative

of all young Europeans, i. e., cannot be generalized, they do paint a

comprehensive picture of young people living in Europe.

The study "Digital Transformation: From Broadcaster to Quality Network"

(2020) is particularly relevant for reaching young people. In his article "From

Public Service Broadcasting to Digital Platform: The Role of Artificial Intelligence,"

Reinhard Christl looks at the significance of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for PSM. Although there was a great deal of scepticism about the use of AI for a long time, this is increasingly giving way to the realization that artificial intelligence - if used correctly - holds more opportunities than risks. The author believes that AI will radically change the media industry, precisely because the technologies are becoming increasingly available and cheaper. That's why it's crucial to develop a strategy for dealing with it. Christl sees artificial intelligence as a valuable tool that can support editorial teams in their work. Traditional journalistic values and quality standards must be combined with the new digital possibilities - in this way, public broadcasting can not only present a competitive alternative to platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, Disney or Amazon, but "a more transparent, intelligent and quality alternative to them".

In the same study, Uwe Hasebrink, Jan-Hinrik Schmidt and Stephan Dreyer of

the Hans Bredow Institute also wrote a paper entitled "Algorithmic Recommendations of Public Service Media Providers". Among other things, they discuss processes by which PSM providers communicate the content they produce

and acquire to an audience. This includes, among other things, the perception

of content, the arousal of interest and convenient use. While these mediation

structures were long characterized by linear use - at a specific time, on a specific

channel - an increasing change in usage behavior is becoming apparent

because of an ongoing digital transformation. The guiding paradigm is now

rather to make audiovisual content available ideally at any time and place.

This development has led to algorithmic recommendation systems gaining

relevance. On the basis of comprehensive databases and with the help of artificial

intelligence, very specific, i. e., personalized recommendations can thus

be made today. In addition to concerns about the centralization and monopolization

of many areas of the digital public sphere, the question of the social

consequences of these algorithmic recommendations is also raised time and

again. In addressing the consequences of these systems for public broadcasters,

the authors conclude that their use makes sense in principle and can be

justified, but that it would depend on the specific design. For example, Hasebrink,

Schmidt and Dreyer argue that diversity, as a central good of democratic

broadcasting systems, must also be a primary criterion for the discoverability

of content. They also argue that public media providers must establish best

practice standards, especially regarding the explicability and verifiability of

the systems, and especially in contrast to the often-impenetrable algorithms

of private providers. This is the only way to gain the trust and acceptance of

users. Of course, the use of these algorithms in the digital world is particularly

relevant if this online area can also be used accordingly.

In 2023 the Public Value Study focuses on "Entertainment in the digital age",

analyzing current challenges for PSM's entertainment production.

All Public Value Studies are published and available on zukunft.ORF.at.