Undermining the Press, One Post at a Time
How Austria’s right-wing populists try to destroy the media
Austria’s far-right Freedom Party FPÖ has long had a fraught relationship with the press. Following the party’s rise to power as part of a right-wing conservative coalition after the Austrian election, this conflict has only intensified. Is the party waging a war against the press and independent journalism?
Judging from recent events, it wouldn’t be hard to get this impression. A few weeks ago, Austria’s public broadcaster ORF filed a lawsuit against the deputy head of the government, the FPÖ’s Heinz-Christian Strache. A couple of days earlier ORF news presenter Armin Wolf — one of the best-known faces on Austrian television — had brought his own lawsuit against Strache.
Satire? — How To Disguise Attacks On The Press
The reason? A Facebook post by the vice-chancellor in which he had posted a picture of Wolf with the words: “There is a place where lies become news. It’s the ORF”, mimicking an advertisement for the broadcaster. The post continues with the line: “The best of fake news, lies and propaganda, pseudo-culture and forced licensing fees. Regional and international. On TV, radio and the Facebook profile of Armin Wolf.” It was a brazen attack on the broadcaster…
