Value Creation: How Are Austrian Films Still Financeable?

Making films is an expensive endeavor, explains Katharina Schenk, head of the main department "Television Film" at the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation:
"Of course, Austrian budgets are miles away from those of Netflix and others, but the ORF still relies on partnerships to ensure the diversity of its fictional offerings. Furthermore, rising general costs in recent years have also affected the production of films and series. As in other industries, there have been collective bargaining negotiations for filmmakers, and increased energy prices also impact film productions. The ORF has a long tradition of co-production with external partners (both other broadcasters and production companies), which benefits it here. The production companies, in turn, can rely on a funding structure from the federal and state governments that supports investment in Austria as a film country. The task of the main department Television Film is not only to discover the best material and accompany it to production maturity but also to maintain international alliances to implement the material for the audience. This often requires finesse, but ultimately strengthens everyone’s position and expands the horizon of each project."



The ORF invests over 100 million every year in the film industry—and thus also becomes a producer of highly praised and award-winning cinema and television films, as well as various TV series.

Value creation by ORF goes beyond the film industry: According to a previous study, each ORF euro generates 1.32 euros in value creation; films and series can especially generate positive effects for the tourism industry—and numerous Austrian jobs in the creative industry depend either directly or indirectly on the ORF. The ORF also awards contracts for compositions and promotes intellectual and societal life in Austria through numerous competitions designed to encourage artistic creation or social engagement.

Value Creation as a Public Value Category

Added Value highlights the ORF's performance, among other things, in relation to promoting the Austrian creative economy, film funding, and collaborations. The category is based, among other things, on the following passages from ORF regulations:

ORF Law

§ 4. (1)  The Austrian Broadcasting Corporation must ensure the appropriate consideration and promotion of Austrian artistic and creative production.
§ 10. (8) As a cultural broadcaster, the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation should be both a reporter and an independent producer and, above all, a client, employer, and forum for Austrian creativity and contemporary art.


ORF Program Guidelines

As a client and often first publisher of artistic works and scientific findings, ORF should contribute to cultural events..


ORF Quality Profile

Offers on culture and religion, especially films, series, radio and internet features, and broadcasts, fulfill the function of being windows to the world, i.e., making Austrian cultural or religious life known and visible abroad and vice versa, showing international, especially European, in Austria. In the field of film art, visual arts, literature, and music, special space should be given to contemporary Austrian creations.


ORF Mission Statement

ORF strengthens Austria's media location through collaboration with the Austrian and European creative economy in the development and production of high-quality and contemporary offerings.


Figures & Data

Below you will find exemplary numbers that document the fulfillment of the public service mandate and the associated media quality. (Figures & Data only available in german.)Further information can be found in the 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 for accessibility, or the ORF's annual and consolidated financial statements.


Exemplary Figures

Austrian Film
The ORF supports the Austrian film industry with over 100 million euros.


Filme und Serien mit Österreichbezug

1.255 Filme und Serien mit Bezug zu Österreich wurden im Jahr 2025 in den Programmen von ORF 1 und ORF 2 ausgestrahlt.

190 (zzgl. 94 Wiederholungen) TV-Movies mit Österreichbezug (ORF 1 + ORF 2)

56 (zzgl. 20 Wiederholungen) Filme mit Österreichbezug (ORF 1 + ORF 2)

586 (zzgl. 234 Wiederholungen) Serienepisoden mit Österreichbezug (ORF 1 + ORF 2)

Filme und Serien Erstausstrahlungen - Auswahl

Film/Serie	Datum	Zuseher:innen in Tsd.
113	06.10.	478
Biester	17.03.	387
Bis auf Weiteres unsterblich	03.11.	516
Himmel Hergott Sakrament	02.07.	654
Landkrimis	07.01.	895
School of Champions	27.01.	410
SOKO DONAU	04.02.	671
SOKO LINZ	30.09.	626
Tage die es nicht gab	17.11.	512
Tatort	13.04.	969
Die Toten vom Bodensee	13.01.	678
Das Traumschiff	01.01.	705

ORF Filmproduktionen

Erstausstrahlungen

720 ORF-finanzierte Kinofilme in Minuten

1.890 Einzelfilme in Minuten

2.475 Serien in Minuten

Top 5 Kinofilme

Film	Kino­besucher­:innen	Zus­chauer­:innen im ORF
Pulled Pork	112.793	605.000
Neue Geschichten vom Franz	73.101	193.000
Rickerl – Musik is höchstens a Hobby	67.779	193.000
Ein ganzes Leben	46.226	581.000
Rimini	18.272	16.000

Top 5 Fernsehfilme

Film	Zuseher:innen in Tsd.
Uhudler Verschwörung – Ein Stinatz Krimi	1.099
Landkrimi / Steirerwahn	991
Tatort / Messer	969
Tatort / Der Elektriker	971
Landkrimi / Steirerwahn	926

Wettbewerbe - Eine Auswahl
Der ORF richtet eine große Vielfalt an Wettbewerben aus bzw. unterstützt diese, die das künstlerische und kreative Schaffen bzw. gesellschaftliches Engagement anregen und damit intellektuelle Wertschöpfung ermöglichen sollen. Eine Auswahl.

Titel	Inhalts­be­schreib­ung	Veran­stalter
"DECUS"-Gala	Mit der "DECUS"-Ehrung werden Menschen bedacht, die in einer bedrohlichen Situation Besonders geleistet haben	ORF Vorarlberg
Diagonale	Beim jährlichen Grazer Filmfestival waren 2025 31 ORF-Produktionen vertreten.	ORF 1 / ORF 2 / ORF-Radios / ORF.at-Netzwerk / Teletext / ORF ON / ORF Topos / 3sat
Ö3-Podcast-Award	Unter allen nominierten Podcasts werden die Top-20-Podcasts aus Österreich geehrt	Ö3
Sound@V	Musikpreis des ORF-Vorarlberg	ORF Vorarlberg
Ö1 Hörspiel-Gala	Das Publikum und eine Fachjury entscheiden über die besten Hörspiele	Ö1
Ö1 Talentebörse	Nachwuchsförderung	Ö1
Ö1 Talentestipendium	Österreichs talentierteste Kunststudierende werden ausgezeichnet	Ö1
Ö1-Jazzstipendium	Nachwuchsförderung im Bereich Jazzmusik	Ö1
"Die besten Nachbarn"	Von den Hörer:innen nominierte Lieblingsnachbarn können einen Genussabend gewinnen	ORF Vorarlberg
Frauen-Förderpreis für Digitalisierung und innovation	Junge Frauen werden für ihr Talent in Bereichen Technologie, Digitalisierung und Innovation ausgezeichnet.	ORF
Sicherheitspreis	Der "Sicherheitspreis" wird an mutige Vorarlberger:innen vergeben.	ORF Vorarlberg
Ö3-Verkehrsaward	Mit dieser Auszeichnung werden "Held:innen der Straße" geehrt.	Ö3

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