The new ORF program “For you and for you”: from concerts to “True…

Program formats, series and discussions plus its own channel for children: ORF has presented its program for 2024 and wants to offer something new for everyone.

ORF presented its 2024 program on Tuesday, summed up particularly strikingly under the slogan “For me, for you and for everyone.” ORF’s first logo is that the public is addressed on a first-name basis, which is supposed to create as much affinity as possible – after all, the switch to a household tax is imminent and more households will be required to pay in 2024 than before. However, this tax “is not a cushion” for ORF, emphasized ORF President Roland Weissmann. Rather, “an incentive and commitment to better translate our mission into program offerings that provide exposure and connection to as many people as possible in Austria.”

So what is the content of the upcoming program? You will see new magazines, discussion formats, new shows and series, and you will hear a lot of music. In November, for example, there will be a “Funny Concert” with celebrities (ORF) under the title “This is Where the Music Plays.” With “Schlagernacht” they also want to address a younger audience, apparently not entirely unironically. There will be a new version of the casting program “The Big Chance,” because it has become “ORF for everyone,” said ORF program director Stephanie Groes-Horwitz. The “Smart” knowledge program is supposed to showcase the smartest people in the country.

There is also new entertainment with the series “School of Champions”, which revolves around a ski boarding school in the mountains of Austria. The successor to the successful “Vorstadtweiber” is the new series “Beasts”. The mystery mini-series “Schnee” is set in a fictional Tyrolean village, and Thomas Stubbetts can be seen in the film adaptation of his crime novel of the same name, “Headscarf Mafia.”

Groiss-Horowitz announced more public participation overall. The Ö3 call-in show “Ask the Whole Country” is now being adapted for television. “Europe and the Citizen” (with Hans Berger) will address European issues. The “You’re Hired” format sounds exciting. . . Maybe,” which is supposedly about conflicts between employers and young employees.

Showdown brings ratings, which is probably what was also thought of when developing the concept of a new discussion show called “Fightclub”. Here two opponents with different opinions meet and try to convince the audience of their point of view. Obviously, this could just as easily be two mothers as two interns or two journalists.

Particularly new is the streaming platform called “ORF On”, which ORF will launch in 2024. It will replace the TV library and offer a lot more content because videos must be available for six months or more. Selected programs will be shown on linear television up to 24 hours before broadcast. ‘ORF On’ also has a new 24-hour kids channel where young audiences will be able to see new content, archive content and selected international purchase programmes.

Otherwise, the program’s efforts to provide “something for everyone” can be seen. Information should also have a large space in the program, ORF reporters will have more broadcast space with their own magazine, and some “ZiB” programs will be extended on weekends. A new animal magazine called Animal Moments has been created with Maggie Entenfellner. On Thursday evenings, from mid-year, there will be contemporary history with several in-house and co-productions for a younger target group. The true crime format is reserved for Jack Unterweger or Udo Proksch. You must watch football matches of the ÖFB national team on Servus TV, with the rights expiring. And the annoying American series on ORF1 in continuous loop? The program director said that the number of daily hours (!) had decreased by eight hours within two years. But old contracts still have to be fulfilled.