Type Radio network Availability worldwide Key people Alexander Wrabetz | Country Austria Owner ORF Launch date 1955 | |
Radio Österreich International (RÖI) (Austrian Radio International) was the international radio station, broadcast by the ORF. RÖI was launched in 1955 by order of the Federal Chancellery, to increase the presence of Austria in foreign countries. The radio station was broadcast worldwide in shortwave on different frequencies. At the end of the 1990s, it was also receivable via the Astra Digital Radio. The station had its headquarters and transmitters in Moosbrunn, on the outskirts of Vienna.
Contents
Programming
Many programs were broadcast in different languages, which all had a big regular listenership.
The most famous programs were the:
All current articles used in the news were made by the ORF national radios.
Retreat and end
In the year 2000, the Federal Chancellery, under the cabinet Schüssel limited the budget of the radio, to shorten the amount of programs. Some foreign offices also had to be closed.
In the year 2002 the Federal Chancellery completely stopped the payment of the channel. The ORF tried to continue the radio itself, with a new concept. Many programs made by national radios were used to save money, for example those from Ö1, FM4 and Ö3. The regional Ö2 radios contributed with folk music.
At the end of 2003 the Board of Governors decided to – against the protest from many people and staff – discontinue the Radio Österreich International for financial reasons.
The transmitters and offices which were only completely modernized in 2000 are now rented to foreign radio stations.
Ö1 International
Since Radio Österreich International was closed down, the ORF started to broadcast the program from Ö1 worldwide over shortwave, but in strongly reduced coverage and quality. Only one element from the old RÖI remained on the new Ö1 International: the "Report from Austria". It gets broadcast on Ö1 International to different times instead of the normal Ö1 program.
Other foreign language productions
The national radios also have some foreign-language elements in their program.