There are 1.5 million people at risk of poverty in Austria. This fact was addressed by the authors of the study "Rundfunk für alle?” Larissa Krainer, Josef Seethaler, and Andreas Schulz-Tomancok from the University of Klagenfurt and the Austrian Academy of Sciences, and incorporated into their contribution on the recommended approach to this group.
Veronika Mauler from ORF-NEWS is one of the editors who frequently deals with this topic and lets affected individuals have their say in reports. She has been awarded the "Silbernen Medienlöwin" and the "Journalismuspreis von unten" for her work. She describes the duty of public service media as follows: "It is our task not only to speak about, but above all with people affected by poverty, to show their life reality, and to let them speak for themselves. They are themselves the best experts for their situation. […] It is the task of a public broadcaster to give a voice to those who do not have a loud lobby."
Affected individuals also had a voice in the ORF-DialogForum.
For ORF, closeness to citizens means not only reporting on those in the spotlight but also on the shadows of life; going where the people are and communicating their concerns. In this context, the major ORF surveys should also be mentioned:
"ORF fragt", with 80,000 participants expressing their opinions on the status quo of Austrian society. In the online survey conducted between September 17 and October 8, concerns addressed to ORF were also noted: 60% of participants wish for more frequent documentaries/reports, 43% detailed reports and analyses, 41% short information pieces, 34% thematic focuses, 33% interviews or discussion shows with experts, and 17% information on social media.
The "Ö3 Jugendstudie" is addressed annually to young listeners. In the current online survey conducted from March 2 to March 29, 2026, around 135,000 young people in Austria responded, revealing a clear view of the future fears and expectations of the "Next Generation."
Citizens Proximity as a Public Value Cateogry
The category "Citizen Proximity" outlines ORF's performance in areas such as citizen rights broadcasts, audience contacts and participation, as well as off-air activities. The category is based, among other things, on the following passages from ORF regulations:
ORF Program Guidelines
Relevant topics and content should not only be communicated but also critically examined in order to stimulate public discourse and encourage personal reflection among the audience.
ORF Quality Profile
Citizen proximity means, in the context of broadcasts on science, service, and life assistance, primarily the greatest possible comprehensibility for all population groups. In fulfilling the mission to disseminate and promote popular and youth education, ORF's offerings should, on the one hand, stimulate learning processes in the simple sense of understanding, comprehending, and retaining for education and training; on the other hand, they should - more comprehensively - aim to provide help for coping with life, promote social and political learning, and ultimately support the formation of consciousness and personality.
ORF Mission Statement
ORF acts independently of political parties and other interest groups and is solely committed to its audience and society.
Figures & Data
Below you will find exemplary numbers documenting the fulfillment of the public service mandate and the associated media quality. (Figures & Data only available in german.) Further information can be found in ORF's annual report to the Federal Chancellor and regulatory authority, the transparency report, the business and sustainability report, as well as the reports on equality (ORF Public Value - DOCUMENTS), the action plan on accessibility, or ORF's annual and consolidated financial statements.
Exemplary Figures
Studies and surveys
"Bürgeranwalt" - Top 3
| Inhalt | Sender | Datum | Tsd. |
| Illegaler Lagerplatz Amstetten F. Ettmann | ORF 2 | 04.01. | 502 |
| Schneeräumung Pressbaum | ORF 2 | 11.01. | 486 |
| Kritik an Raumordnung Fall Obermair | ORF 2 | 29.03. | 461 |
"Am Schauplatz" - Top 3
| Inhalt | Sender | Datum | Tsd. |
| Kampf um Kitzbühel | ORF 2 | 03.04. | 651 |
| Beisl am Eck | ORF 2 | 10.04. | 580 |
| Pfandsammeln | ORF 2 | 27.11. | 568 |
"Am Schauplatz Gericht" - Top 5
| Inhalt | Sender | Datum | Tsd. |
| Kleinkrieg in Kapellerfeld | ORF 2 | 13.03. | 622 |
| Das Millionenerbe | ORF 2 | 13.02. | 608 |
| Unangenehme Nachbarschaft | ORF 2 | 23.01. | 588 |
| Der verlorene Sohn - das überraschende Ende eines Familiendramas? | ORF 2 | 16.10. | 567 |
| Konflikte am Gartenzaun & Muss Schönheit leiden? |
ORF 2 | 26.06. / 13.11. | 555 |
"DialogForum" - Top 5
| Inhalt | Sender | Datum |
| ORF für wirklich ALLE? | ORF III | 03.11. |
| Wie gefährlich ist das Netz? | ORF III | 13.10. |
| Wie tickt Österreich? | ORF III | 27.10. |
| Under Attack | ORF III | 11.06. |
| Wie tickt Österreich? | ORF III | 24.10. |
#citizen proximity
