1967: The Creation of Ö1, Ö2 and Ö3

Triggered by the 1964 national broadcasting referendum, whose goal it was to free the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) from the influence of political parties, a new law was passed by the National Council. For the radio broadcaster, this reform led to the creation of three new stations as well as numerous new programme formats, which went on air starting October 1, 1967. Ö1 was created in order to fulfil the ORF’s cultural and educational mandate. Particular emphasis was placed on the redesign of the information sector; the fundamentally new news broadcast was to inform audiences more freely and comprehensively than previously on the radio. This included news programmes such as Morgen-, Mittags- und Abendjournal, all of which are still on air today. At that time, the one hour Mittagsjournal was broadcast on Ö1 as well as Ö3. Ö2 was used to create a regional programme, i.e. nine public-sector radio programmes broadcast their shows nationwide. The programming of state studios is based on regional perspectives, and only the world news is produced collectively. In music programming, popular folk music dominated many of the state broadcasters until the 1990s. Radio Ö3 was used to create a medium for modern music and information. Like the “BBC 1” channel, implemented in the UK in 1967, it was a response to new popular culture. The youth editorial staff achieved particular recognition with “Ö3-Musicbox”, which mostly played innovative English-language music Monday to Friday afternoons. The team of programme developers and DJs of the Ö3 editorial staff included, among others, Ernst Grissemann, Evamaria Kaiser, Walter Richard Langer, Dieter Dorner, André Heller, Rudi Klausnitzer, Peter Rapp und Hubert Gaisbauer.

In the course of the liberalisation of the radio broadcasting market (authorisation of commercial radio stations), Ö3 was transformed into an exclusive music station with little moderation. More critical, alternative programme formats and cultural shows were moved to Ö1 or to the newly created youth radio station FM4 in 1995.

External Resources (in German only):

Youtube: „Ö3 - Der neue Sender [04.05.1969]“ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_ueFzACAag

Diagonal zum Jahr 1967. Als alles begann mit eingebettetem Video: „Interview mit Ernst Grissemann, Peter Machac, Andre Heller, Peter Rapp und Frank“ https://oe1.orf.at/artikel/629369

Radio hören, 1967 – 1989: Rundfunkreform und danach: https://www.mediathek.at/radio-hoeren/1967-1989-rundfunkreform-und-danach/

Austria Forum, ORF - Österreichischer Rundfunk: https://austria-forum.org/af/AEIOU/ORF

Radiolandschaft in Österreich http://der.orf.at/medienforschung/radio/radiolandschaftOesterreich100.html