Vienna International Media Industry News

Richard Cockett on Vienna as the Center of the “Scientific Worldview” - A Legacy in Danger?

Vienna was once a center of groundbreaking ideas. In his lecture at ISTA, Dr. Richard Cockett, historian, and economist-journalist, sheds light on how the city shaped science, philosophy, and art - and why its legacy is more important than ever today.

March 4, 2025

Science Books of the Year: The Winners Announced

The results of Austria’s Science Book of the Year have been announced, recognizing works that present scientific topics in an accessible and engaging way for the general public. With over 8,000 votes cast, the awards reflect continued public interest in science communication and education.

February 11, 2025

Scientists Warn Against Potential FPÖ-Led Government

Fearing for the country's democratic foundations and the integrity of its research institutions, leading scientists and scholars have united their voices in an open letter against a potential FPÖ-led Government. Their message is clear: the future of Austria’s liberal democracy, human rights, and academic freedom hangs in the balance.

February 6, 2025

Labor Market in Austria 2024: Number of Vacancies Significantly Decreased

The Austrian labor market is facing an apparent contradiction: while companies are complaining about an acute shortage of skilled workers, vacancies fell significantly in 2024. Rising unemployment figures meet unfilled positions, and many industries are struggling with economic uncertainties. What is behind this development?

February 6, 2025

Celebrities and Journalists from Austria, Europe and America Leave X

The once important platform Twitter, now known as X, is experiencing a massive decline in prominent users. While international personalities such as Stephen King or media outlets such as the British Guardian have announced their departure, the exodus is also becoming visible in Austria. Numerous opinion leaders and journalists have closed their accounts under the hashtag #eXit.

November 17, 2024

Music Giants Rock the Cineplexx Cinemas: A Trend Excites Austria

Concert films and music biographies bring the biggest stars to the big screen, creating a very special cinematic experience. Among others, Coldplay's “Moon Music” and Whitney Houston's “Durban Concert” celebrated great success. These films not only offer high-resolution picture and sound quality but also allow fans to experience their favorite artists' concerts together without the inconvenience of a live event.

October 15, 2024

Alpbach: Between Tradition and the Future - the European Forum Alpbach 2024

The European Forum Alpbach (EFA) celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2024. It once again attracted over 4,000 participants to the small Tyrolean mountain village, which became the center of European discourse for two weeks. Under the general theme of “Moment of Truth”, this year's forum focused on the groundbreaking decisions that Europe must make in the face of multiple crises, from climate catastrophes to political tensions.

August 18, 2024

Austria Investing in the Future: Strengthening STEM Education and Massive Research Funding

Austria is setting standards in the education and research landscape to meet the challenges of the future. With two far-reaching initiatives, the government aims to combat the shortage of skilled workers in the STEM fields (mathematics, IT, natural sciences, and technology) as well as massively promote research and innovation in the country. These measures are intended not only to solve short-term problems but also to secure and strengthen Austria as a business location in the long term.

August 13, 2024

Simpsons Cartoon Art: Unique Exhibition at the Caricature Museum Krems

To mark the 35th anniversary of the cult series “The Simpsons”, the Caricature Museum Krems is the first in Europe to present a special exhibition entitled “Here comes Bart! Simpsons Cartoon Art from the William Heeter and Kristi Correa Collection”.

July 16, 2024

Austria Businesses Heading for a Record Year of Bankruptcies in 2024

Austria is facing a possible record year for corporate insolvencies in 2024. The current economic situation shows a significant increase in insolvencies, especially in the first half of the year.

July 15, 2024

Vienna Once Again Named the World's Most Liveable City

Vienna has done it again: for the third time in a row, the Austrian capital has been named the most liveable city in the world by the British "Economist" group. In the annual "Global Liveability Ranking", Vienna beat 172 other cities to take the top spot once again.

June 27, 2024

Austria's Progressive Stance on Cyber Operations and International Law

The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs published a national declaration by Austria on the application of international law to the cyber activities of states. This declaration complements a list of more than 30 national positions and comprehensively addresses issues such as state sovereignty, non-interference and due diligence, diplomatic and consular law, international humanitarian law, and neutrality.

June 27, 2024

30 Years of the WKÖ Export Prize: Austrian Companies Honored for Top Performance

Austria's export industry has achieved impressive successes over the last 30 years. EU accession in 1994 played a key role in this, paving the way for a more than five-fold increase in goods exports. Despite challenging framework conditions, the 63,700 domestic export companies achieved a record value of 200 billion euros in goods exports and 83 billion euros in services exports last year.

June 18, 2024

Russia Expels ORF Correspondent Maria Knips-Witting

In a surprising diplomatic escalation, Russia has withdrawn the accreditation of ORF correspondent Maria Knips-Witting and ordered her to leave the country as quickly as possible. This measure was described by the Russian side as a “forced measure” and explained as a reaction to the withdrawal of the accreditations of two Russian journalists from the state news agency TASS in Austria. Knips-Witting has been reporting from Moscow since January 2024.

June 11, 2024

Concordia Ball 2024: A Celebration of Freedom of the Press

On May 24, 2024, Vienna City Hall was transformed into the venue for the 124th Concordia Ball, at which the media industry, artists, and cultural figures as well as an international ball audience set an impressive example for freedom of the press. This year, the traditional ball, organized by the Concordia Press Club, was all about free journalism and diversity of opinion.

May 26, 2024

Africa Day 2024: Austria Looks to Africa's Future Markets

This year's Africa Day was all about Africa's future markets and offered a platform to strengthen economic relations between Austrian and African companies. Organized by the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ), the event attracted more than 1,200 participants from Austria, over 30 African countries, and guests from Europe, Asia, and the USA.

February 5, 2024

Promotion of Democracy in the Age of AI by the U.S. Embassy in Vienna

The U.S. Embassy in Austria, in cooperation with the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), recently hosted renowned AI ethics and policy expert Merve Hickok for an important dialog on global challenges. This initiative is part of the "U.S.-Austria Citizen Dialogue on Global Challenges".

January 22, 2024

French-Austrian Cultural Exchange: Costa-Gavras Honors Vienna with an Inspiring Visit

Vienna was enriched by a visit from the renowned Franco-Greek director Costa-Gavras. Accompanied by his wife Michèle, the award-winning cineaste enjoyed a day full of cultural highlights in the Austrian capital. The visit concluded with a meeting between Costa-Gavras and leading representatives of the Austrian film at the French Embassy.

December 27, 2023

Signa in Upheaval: Rene Benko's Retreat and the Future of the Real Estate Giant

Significant changes have now taken place at the real estate and retail group Signa. Company founder Rene Benko is stepping down and handing over the reins to restructuring expert Arndt Geiwitz. This step follows pressure from investors and is intended to initiate a comprehensive restructuring of the group. Benko's removal from power was already apparent in the industry, but it has now been officially announced that Geiwitz will take over as Chairman of the Shareholders' Committee and the Advisory Board. However, the circumstances surrounding Benko's voting rights remain uncertain.

November 9, 2023

Rene Benko and the Future of the Signa Group: Silence Before the Storm?

The Austrian Signa Group once celebrated as a shining star in the real estate sky and a powerful player in the retail sector, is currently facing uncertain times and financial turbulence. Company founder Rene Benko, who has led the group from a non-operational position since 2013 and holds the majority of voting rights through his family foundations, is at the center of a heated debate about the group's future.

November 6, 2023

Vienna Pioneer for Circular Economy: Climate Lab as a Spark for Climate Transformation

In the heart of Vienna, more precisely at the Climate Lab in Vienna Spittelau, an innovative movement has emerged that has the potential to fundamentally change the way Austria's economy deals with its resources. Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler and the top representatives of Austria's largest companies came together to drive forward a sustainable transformation of Austria as a business location, with the Climate Lab playing a key role.

November 5, 2023

Skills Shortage in Austria: Companies Feel Pressure, But Also Opportunities

A recent study by the recruiting platform Stepstone shows that the shortage of skilled workers is leaving a clear mark on Austria's companies. Two-thirds of respondents are concerned about the additional workload caused by unfilled positions. This is despite a slight increase in advertised vacancies of 2 percent in the first half of the year, with some sectors such as engineering, care, and construction even seeing significant increases.

September 13, 2023

Green Peak Festival 2023: Austria's Pioneer for Climate Protection and Entrepreneurship

The renowned Green Peak Festival, which has established itself in the heart of Vienna as Austria's flagship event for sustainability and entrepreneurship, impressed once again. For the second year in a row, over 800 participants gathered to network, exchange ideas and discuss the latest developments in sustainability. The project was supported this year by the Embassy of Israel.

September 11, 2023

The 43rd Saalfelden Jazz Festival Gathers International Jazz Lovers and Virtuosos

The small town of Saalfelden in Salzburger Land will once again be transformed into a vibrant meeting place for the international jazz scene from August 17 to 20, 2023. Music makers, players, connoisseurs, and lovers of improvised music from all over the world will flock to the 43rd Saalfelden Jazz Festival, which will feature musical highlights and exciting discoveries for four days. Six official stages in the town, as well as the "Mountain Tracks" in the great outdoors, offer a program that will delight every music lover.

July 25, 2023

Wealth of the Richest Austrians Grows Despite Global Trends

In its latest issue, the business magazine "trend" publishes its annual ranking of the "100 richest Austrians". In contrast to some global studies, which show a slight decline in the ownership of the super-rich, Austria shows a different development. The assets of the 100 wealthiest individuals and families increased by five percent to a total of around 210 billion euros.

July 11, 2023

Austria's State Security Agency to Take Stronger Action Against Disinformation

The Directorate of State Protection and Intelligence (DSN) has reportedly called for the introduction of penalties for spreading "fake news" in order to curb the spread of conspiracy theories.

July 6, 2023

Journalists' Associations Protest Against Exclusion at OPEC Event

Journalists' associations have protested the renewed exclusion of international press representatives from an OPEC event in Vienna. According to an open letter from the Association of Foreign Press, the Concordia Press Club, and the Association of European Journalists (AEJ), reporters from the Reuters and Bloomberg news agencies and the "Wall Street Journal" were denied accreditation.

June 29, 2023

Europe Minister Edtstadler Awards Outstanding Projects and Initiatives with the 2023 Europe State Prize

Austrian Europe Minister Karoline Edtsdadler awarded the winners of the 2023 Europe State Prize at the Sofiensäle in Vienna. More than 200 guestes were present at the Europe gala.

May 9, 2023

Vienna Ball Season 2023: Concordia Ball Anniversary Celebrates 160 Years

Vienna's famous ball season has been extended with the long-awaited return of the Concordia Ball. The ball, which is hosted by the Vienna Journalist and Writer Association Concordia, is one of the city's oldest dance events and has been held since 1863. This year's ball will take place on May 26th at Vienna's City Hall, the Rathaus.

May 8, 2023

Turkish Community in Vienna Criticizes Türkiye's Media Freedom on International Press Freedom Day

As the world marks International Press Freedom Day on May 3, Austria's media landscape faces a serious threat to its diversity, despite slight improvements in the Press Freedom Index. Meanwhile, Türkiye's media freedom is in a dire state, with journalists and opposition voices facing increasing pressure and imprisonment under Erdogan's AKP government, according to the Turkish Cultural Community in Austria (TKG).

May 3, 2023

Vienna City Marathon to Take Place with a High Number of Runners

The Vienna City Marathon will celebrate its 40th anniversary with more people than last year, according to the applications and Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig. Around 34.000 people have already applied and 36.000 – 40.000 people are expected to participate in the marathon.

March 20, 2023

Winning Ensembles of the 8th International Joseph Haydn Chamber Music Competition Chosen

For the 8th time, the International Joseph Haydn Chamber Music Competition, where young ensembles from all over the world compete, selected the best up-and-coming string quartets and piano trios. The two first prizes went to Trio Bohémo and Trio Pantoum, while the Chaos String Quartet and Trio Incendio were each runner-ups.

March 6, 2023

Romanian Delegation Searching for a Solution in Vienna

A Romanian delegation has arrived in Vienna to search for the solution for Austria’s Schengen Veto Block. Part of the delegation was also Romania’s ex Foreign Minister Titus Corlățean.

February 27, 2023

Young Austrians Invited to Attend Paris Internet Conference as WSA Experts by UNESCO

The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is holding a consultation on Internet content on February 22-23. Young social media activists from Austria are invited as World Summit Award (WSA) experts.

February 21, 2023

Journalists' Associations Against Exclusion of Media at OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

In response to plans by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) that media representatives would not be permitted to attend the winter session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA) at the Hofburg in Vienna, the Association of European Journalists (AEJ) and the Association of Foreign Press in Vienna objected.

February 20, 2023

New Film Incentive Model in Austria: HBO Shoots New Series Project "The Palace" in Vienna

The Vienna Film Commission is now increasingly promoting international film and series productions in Vienna and Austria. A new film funding model has been in place for some time and has now brought the first international project to the city. The new series from HBO with Hugh Grant and Kate Winslet called "The Palace" had its shooting start in Vienna.

February 5, 2023

New Study Shows Social Media Is a Primary News Source for the Youth

A study carried out by the Institute for Youth Culture Research and Cultural Education on behalf of the Austrian Institute for Applied Telecommunications and ISPA - Internet Service Providers Austria as part of the EU initiative Saferinternet.at showed that the youth’s primary news source is social media, while at the same time, they do not trust the news.

February 4, 2023

OSCE Condemns Russia’s Decision to Outlaw Independent News Outlet Meduza

Moscow continues its campaign against opposition Russian media with unabated vigor. The Riga-based web portal "Meduza" is banned completely in Russia. The OSCE denounced the Russian authorities’ decision to outlaw one of the most popular Russian-language news portals.

January 31, 2023

Austria Promotes Energy Research with 17 Million Euros

The Climate and Energy Fund promotes innovations for clean, affordable and reliable energy supply. The aim is to strengthen Austria as a location for innovation and to improve export opportunities for the domestic economy. A total of 17 million euros is available for the program, endowed from the funds of the Ministry of Climate Protection (BMK).

December 29, 2022

New International Institute for Media in Vienna Holds First Event on Fake News at Hofburg Palace

The newly founded "International Institute for Media (IIM-Vienna)" has set itself the task of counteracting state-controlled disinformation and making known the information wars that are going on in secret. The new think tank invites to the event "The armies of trolls and astroturfers" at the Hofburg.

December 20, 2022

UN Internet Governance Forum in Ethiopia: Austria's Constitutional Affairs Minister Karoline Edtstadler Appointed to Governing Body

To increase the content and importance of the Internet Governance Forum, a ten-member Leadership Panel chaired by U.S. information scientist Vinton Gray Cerf was established. Austria's Constitution Minister Karoline Edtstadler was appointed to this leadership panel by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

December 4, 2022

Book Vienna 2022 Promotes International Foreign Culture

Thousands of new publications and hundreds of high-profile events with more than 500 national and international authors and experts will be on display at the Vienna Book Fair from November 23-27, 2022. Diplomacy will also be represented at the fair.

November 20, 2022

Austria Awards State Prize for Innovation

The State Prize Innovation 2022 from the Austrian Ministry of Labor and Economy goes to the Lower Austrian company DSM Austria GmbH. With their innovation, they make an important contribution to the safe and healthy nutrition of animals and humans.

November 16, 2022

What is the Alps-Adriatic Economic Network?

Since 2007, the Network of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Crafts, Agriculture and Economy of the New Alpe Adria (NAAN) has been working to deepen economic relations. It now comprises - with the new addition of Bolzano - ten chambers from Austria, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. According to the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, with one million member businesses, NAAN is making rapid progress toward becoming an EU Alps-Adriatic macroregion. Read more to find out about the project.

November 7, 2022

Vienna Conference on Journalist Safety 2022

On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists, the Austrian Foreign Ministry, together with the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, hosted the Vienna Conference on the Safety of Journalists. The conference, entitled "Safety of Journalists: Protecting media to protect democracy" was attended by more than 400 representatives of governments, international organizations, media and civil society.

November 6, 2022

OSCE Criticises Russian Media Isolation and "Climate of Fear"

Since 2012, the Russian government has been suppressing freedom of expression step by step. With a new law that will only allow information from official Russian channels, a new low has been reached to which the OSCE would like to draw attention once again.

September 22, 2022

Virtual Economic Forum between Tunisia and Austria

A Virtual Economic Forum titled "Tunisia & Austria - Promoting Business & Investment Cooperation", was held online by the Tunisian Embassy in Vienna and the Austro-Arab Chamber of Commerce (AACC) in collaboration with the Tunisian Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA Tunisia).

August 7, 2022

Earth Overshoot Day: World has Already Used Up Resources

The Earth's natural resources for this year will have been depleted by tomorrow. By tomorrow, ecosystems would need about a year to replenish their resources. According to the Global Footprint Network, which is based in the United States and Switzerland, Earth Overshoot Day is slightly earlier this year than last.

July 27, 2022

European Forum Alpbach Will be Opened by Moldovan President Maia Sandu

The Moldovan President, Maia Sandu, will attend the opening of this year's European Forum Alpbach (EFA) together with Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen on August 22. At the start of the event, they will jointly address the EFA's annual theme, The New Europe, and discuss what consequences, in light of Russia's Invasion of Ukraine, Europe must draw from its current weakness and its inaction in the past.

July 27, 2022

Austria has the Highest Share of Female Startups in the EU

The Federal Ministry of Labor and Economy (BMAW) had surveyed the financing situation of female startups for Austria and Europe and discussed it at a startup breakfast together with representatives of the startup community at the BMAW. At 36 percent, Austria currently has the highest proportion of female startups in the EU.

July 20, 2022