Clemens Pig elected ORF chief after 15-hour board marathon

Clemens Pig, the CEO of APA, has been elected as the new head of the Austrian national broadcaster ORF. The decision followed a marathon 15-hour meeting of the 35-member board of trustees, which began Thursday morning and concluded near 11 p.m. Pig secured the necessary majority with 21 votes.

Other candidates included former HBO executive Johannes Larcher, who received six votes, and former ProSiebenSat.1Puls4 CEO Markus Breitenecker, who garnered four votes. ORF magazine editor Lisa Totzauer received three votes, and Kathrin Zierhut-Kunz received one.

The selection process was marked by lengthy presentations and intense questioning. Pig, considered the clear favorite of the ruling ÖVP and SPÖ parties, reportedly received votes only from those aligned with these parties. The meeting's duration was extended by the detailed presentations and subsequent debates, with some board members reportedly clashing.

A surprising development during the session was the resignation of board member Siegried Meryn, a health expert appointed by the SPÖ. Reports suggest his resignation was linked to the behavior of FPÖ board member Peter Westenthaler, known for his confrontational style. Westenthaler had previously announced his intention to challenge Pig's election if he won.

Legal challenges to the election are already anticipated, with Westenthaler having openly stated his plans to contest the outcome. The process highlighted the political dynamics within the ORF's highest governing body, where political considerations often outweighed objective qualifications.

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We are already working on challenging the election.