Austrian Broadcaster Chief Quits Amid Harassment Claims
Last update: March 9, 2026
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Resignation comes two months before Austria hosts Eurovision Song Contest.
Austrian public broadcaster ORF announced on Monday that its director, Roland Weissmann, is stepping down following sexual harassment accusations made by a female employee.
Weissmann, 57, is resigning from his post with immediate effect, the broadcaster’s board said in a press release. He denies any wrongdoing.
The ORF statement said the allegations against the director general “require a swift and transparent investigation.”
Weissmann’s lawyer, Oliver Scherbaum, said legal action will be taken against the claims, which he described as “not clarified in any way.” He added that his client had not been provided with the exact details of the accusations but chose to resign to avoid causing harm to the company.
Scherbaum also criticized the media coverage as “a completely inappropriate and excessive reaction,” noting the resignation comes just months before the election of ORF’s next director general.
The resignation occurs two months before the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, which will be held in Vienna from May 12 to 16 following Austrian artist Johannes Pietsch’s victory at last year’s contest in Basel, Switzerland.
