21 - How does the ORF approach religion?

subtitle21

160 television hours of religion and ethics on ORF 1 and ORF 2, over an hour a week on the radio, 3,887 stories on religion.ORF.at: this is part of the quantitative track record on religion and ethics for 2023.



But what about quality? How does the head of the department, Barbara Krenn, answer the crucial question? Here she is in an interview with Konrad Mitschka, ORF Public Value.


KM
Dear Barbara, what is the status of religion on ORF?

 BK
For many people in Austria, faith and spirituality - even if not always and not necessarily institutionally bound - are valuable and important. Faith, religion and the search for meaning play a major role for many people, at least at important stages and transitions in their lives. The ORF is committed to the citizens of Austria. This means that variety and diversity are central. Just as ORF offers up-to-date information and entertainment, it also has to appeal to sports enthusiasts, those interested in culture, people on the margins of society and those with an affinity for religion. For the religion department, this means bringing people together to talk about their beliefs and values, examining the significance of religion in an enlightened society and discussing the relationship between religion and politics, faith and reason. And it means - as required by law - reporting appropriately on all legally recognized churches and religious communities in Austria, of which there are currently 16. At a critical distance, mind you. Because: As journalists in the religion department, we - like all other ORF journalists - are bound by ORF law. We therefore not only have the right to independence, but also the duty to do so.

 KM
Independence, especially when it comes to religion, is something I find difficult - you either believe or you don't: how do you avoid the trap of falling into your own convictions - or, quite differently, but no better, remaining in a certain arbitrariness towards all faith?

 BK
All ORF journalists face this challenge, regardless of whether they are reporting on politics, culture or religion. It is part of our profession that personal opinions are irrelevant to our reporting. Anyone who can't or won't do this is also in the wrong place in religious journalism. The fundamental equality of all religions is an important guideline for our work - but this does not mean arbitrariness. Of course we want to offer our audience orientation in the so-called "market of religions". We want to confront every religion - without appropriating it - on the one hand with its origins and on the other with the human ethos - with human rights, for example. And because we are committed to the critical program of the Enlightenment, we ask about the relationship between faith and reason, the relationship between religion and politics, and the relationship to a pluralistic society. Of course, we also always ask about co-determination, equality and equal rights.

 KM
So religion is the starting point for diversity in terms of program and content: does the department also take social change into account? For example, the fact that there are more non-believers and more Muslims?

 BK
Our reporting does not deal with a special world. The starting point for our reporting is always the pluralistic society, in which there are many opinions, religions and world views. And just as society changes, so do faith and religion. With our major ORF project "What does Austria believe?", we want to get to the bottom of this change even more. In this departmental project, we are cooperating with the "Religion and Transformation in Contemporary Society" research center at the University of Vienna under the scientific direction of Regina Polak and Astrid Mattes-Zippenfenig and are combining scientific research on the one hand with media work on the other. At the end of the project, a representative study should be available that provides information on what characterizes the values and beliefs of people in Austria in the face of major social developments such as secularization, pluralization and digitalization. And the results of this study will in turn form the basis for our program. The scientific research is also supported by the Future Fund of the Republic of Austria.

 KM
Speaking of "What does Austria believe?"- the personal question at the end: What does the head of "Religion and Ethics" at ORF believe in?

 BK
In the power of enlightenment - and that good journalism is an indispensable part of it.

 The quality expectations with regard to broadcasts and programs on religion and ethics are precisely summarized in the "Quality Profile". This was evaluated by a social science institute and is published, including the evaluation, on the ORF quality assurance website.




#socialvalue

Below you will find the englisch version of the tables above:


Religion and ethics


Religious formats on Ö1 (153 minutes per week)
Thoughts for the day
Art of living - encounters on Sunday morning
Memo - Ideas, myths, festivals
Religion up to date
Interjection
In focus - Religion and ethics

Kreuz und Quer - top 5 (127 programs in total)
The Amish in the jungle 9.01. ORF2 228
Doomsday 10.10. ORF2 239
Are we alone in space? 04.07. ORF2 222
Siblings 28.11. ORF2 218
Walls of freedom: the women of Nonnberg 19.09. ORF2 214

Orientation top 5 top, 71 programs in total
Dalai Lama's assault disturbs, Notre Dame four years after the fire, Conspiracy - power struggles in Egypt 16.04. ORF2 147
Constant failure in Israel, Poland votes, spiritual courage in the crisis 15.10. ORF2 147
Islamists as influencers, Helmut Schüller in an interview, worship of Santa Muerte in Mexico. 02.04. ORF2 134
Summer edition Melk Abbey 16.07. ORF2 129
Decision in Argentina - run-off election, Jews in the Koran - Muslim anti-Semitism, Church youth seeks by-election 19.11. ORF2 126

Feierabend (broadcast 16 times)
The Pope's Astronomer 06.01. ORF2 871
Magic for a better life 10.04. ORF2 819
On the third day: Vienna Boys' Choir and Hofburgkapelle 09.04. ORF2 808
Always one too many - Life as a young widow 26.12. ORF2 734
The Landau Brothers 25.12. ORF2 719





Religion and ethics


Hinduism 10 Homeland foreign homeland: Roma religions 21.12.
Islam 98 Orientation F: Koran and anti-Semitism 19.11.
Pope 411 ZIB 13:00: Vatican Christmas holidays 26.12.
Buddhism 24 The Barbara Karlich Show: Rebirth 28.11.
Jews 298 ZIB Flash 1: Anti-Semitism Study 18.04.
Gospel 31 Orientation: About God and the world 07.05.
Topics by terms

Religion and ethics on ORF regional radio stations (broadcast minutes per week)
Basis: Results of a content analysis of ORF radios in the sample week of ______.

Radio Burgenland 4.17% 83:37
Radio Carinthia 3.66% 82:59
Radio Lower Austria 4.13% 71:33
Radio Upper Austria 5.08% 87:23
Radio Salzburg 3.58% 78:09
Radio Styria 4.26% 89:27
Radio Tirol 4.00% 78:04
Radio Vorarlberg 3.83% 76:16
Radio Vienna 0.00% 00:00Hinduismus 10 Heimat fremde Heimat: Roma Religionen 21.12.
Islam 98 Orientierung F: Koran und Antisemitismus 19.11.
Papst 411 ZIB 13:00: Vatikan Weihnachtsfeiertage 26.12.
Buddhismus 24 Die Barbara Karlich Show: Wiedergeburt 28.11.
Juden 298 ZIB Flash 1: Antisemitismus Studie 18.04.
Evangelium 31 Orientierung: Über Gott und die Welt 07.05.
Themen nach Begriffen

Religion und Ethik in den ORF- Regionalradios (Sendeminuten pro Woche)
Basis: Ergebnisse einer Inhaltsanalyse der ORF Radios in der Musterwoche von ______.

Radio Burgenland 4,17% 83:37
Radio Kärnten 3,66% 82:59
Radio Niederösterreich 4,13% 71:33
Radio Oberösterreich 5,08% 87:23
Radio Salzburg 3,58% 78:09
Radio Steiermark 4,26% 89:27
Radio Tirol 4,00% 78:04
Radio Vorarlberg 3,83% 76:16
Radio Wien 0,00% 00:00