Attack on the freedom of the press

journalists are used to in Austria, politicians call in and protest because of unpleasant reporting. These protests were, however, so far, manageable, and largely negligible, since the departure of the ÖVP/FPÖ government adopted an alarming extent. Of the two government parties, the pressure on the editorial staff had become enormously tell a Viennese journalist. The FPÖ was just much more aggressive. And it is not called only – it is openly threatened with consequences.

the Latest case in the series of attacks on the free press: the slugfest between the TV-presenter Armin Wolf, and the Freedom from critical Studio interview with a right-wing candidate in the news show "ZiB 2". A number of politicians of the government party, meanwhile, have demanded the expulsion of the wolf. Wolf could, however, take a Sabbatical and "the world," said Norbert Stegner, sitting for the FPÖ in the ORF Board of Trustees.

That such a thing is even possible shows how far the discourse in Austria after the right has moved.

list of unwelcome media

for Decades, irritates the FPÖ, the limits of the sayable is always more. As Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz of the ÖVP and the right-wing a government is formed, he has made you permanently. And he has not tolerated their extreme right-wing failures due to his generous largely Silent, in order not to endanger his own Agenda. The consequence of this is that it is not only the right extreme of the vocabulary attracts hardly any attention, but that also attacks on the freedom of the press, shoulder shrugging acceptable.

Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache (FPÖ) can the public use of the right-wing Identitarian notion of "population exchange" as at the weekend in a newspaper interview. The FPÖ, led the Ministry of the interior can make a list of unpleasant media create the seem to be at a disadvantage. And freedom party-people can publicly call for Armin Wolf to sell, one of the most famous presenters in the country.

freedom of the press downgraded

This has manifested, the FPÖ once again that you can't handle critical reporting and harder and harder against it. The erosion of the freedom of the press in Austria, has reached a preliminary peak.

What took place a few weeks ago little attention to, now seems all the more powerful as a warning: The organization reporters without borders downgraded Austria in the freedom of the press from 11th place to 16th place. A massive deterioration for a EU country. Anyone who follows the current attacks on the ORF-presenter Wolf, can't be surprised – but must ask, rather, what place in Austria next Time to land. Will it be enough even for the Top 20? If the FPÖ can continue to turn unchallenged and exercise is likely to be answered the question already.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 30.04.2019, 20:11 PM