Ö3, Ö1, FM4 and nine federal state radios will be available on the radio player from September
Vienna (OTS) – July 19, 2024 represents a milestone in the Austrian media landscape. The ORF is joining Radioplayer Austria as of today and is therefore in good company. The radio player is already used by public and private radio stations in more than 20 countries. The ORF will become a 50 percent shareholder in the new Radioplayer Österreich GmbH (RPÖ), together with the private radio station RIG Radio Innovations GmbH, which also holds 50 percent. The ORF radios will be available on Radioplayer Austria from September.
ORF General Director Roland Weißmann signed the contracts for ORF’s participation at 10:15 a.m. today in the office of ORF Radio Director Ingrid Thurnher together with RIG Managing Director Andrea Heidrich. Heidrich shares the management of Radioplayer Österreich GmbH with Albert Malli, who is sent by ORF. Malli has been deputy Ö3 program director since 1998 and will in future be responsible for all digital audio services in a new staff position in the ORF radio directorate.
ORF General Director Roland Weißmann: “ORF’s participation in Radioplayer Austria is once again a collaboration with private competitors in order to strengthen Austria as a media location in competition with international media groups.”
ORF radio director Ingrid Thurnher: “It goes without saying that ORF radios are available on all relevant distribution channels. Since streaming usage is constantly increasing in the radio sector, a presence of the ORF radios on the Austrian radio player is so important. Together with our own audio platform ORF Sound, we want to provide our audience with our public audio offerings in the best possible way in the digital space.”
RPÖ managing director Andrea Heidrich: “After the efforts of the last few years, today is really a historic moment that makes me very happy for the entire radio industry and sets an example. The motto is “together against the BigTechs” – and this can only succeed if alliances are formed and collaborations are entered into. The radio industry must remain visible and relevant on all available platforms, on smart speakers and in car dashboards. A merger of public and private within an aggregator that promotes precisely this platform marketing is necessary!”
RPÖ managing director Albert Malli: “Austria has a thriving radio market for the benefit of listeners, ORF and private radio stations face tough competition for every minute of radio heard. Since the distribution channels of radio and audio are becoming increasingly complex and confusing, I think this cooperation makes sense. The motto is: ‘Compete in content, cooperate on platforms’. I would be happy if, in return, as many private radio stations as possible would also use the ORF Sound audio platform as a distribution channel. The legislature has created this possibility with the new ORF law.”
The RIG is considered an innovation hub for Austrian private broadcasters, brings together data projects such as the Audio Analyzer Austria and is a networking hub for joint technical developments by all radio stations. It is owned by the largest private broadcasters in Austria, Kronehit, Life Radio OÖ, Antenne Steiermark, Antenne Vorarlberg, Energy, Radio Arabella, Life Radio Tirol and oe24. RIG is currently developing an Austrian language model that will be available to all broadcasters in Austria.
The Radioplayer, originally developed by the BBC, is a streaming platform for radio stations. It is available in 23 countries, bringing together almost 10,000 radio stations in a list that seems endless. The radio player is available on the web, in Austria at www.radioplayer.at, and as a mobile app for Android and iOS in the respective app stores. Since the radio stations, in contrast to “TuneIn” from the USA, operate the platform themselves, it is considered particularly reliable by external partners such as the car industry. In collaboration with leading companies from the automotive and technology industries, the radio player strives to make the radio available on all external platforms, from the entertainment console in the car to the smart speakers of all providers. Smaller broadcasters in particular would not be able to do this on their own in a world in which the number and type of audio platforms is constantly growing and becoming increasingly confusing. Through global collaboration and advocacy work, Radioplayer maintains the cultural significance and accessibility of the medium of radio.