With just a dozen major outlets, the media market is small and very concentrated. The oldest daily newspaper, the Wiener Zeitung, closed its doors in 2023, which will undoubtedly further weaken an already restricted pluralism. The tabloids have the largest readership and, therefore, receive the lion’s share of state funding.

Attempts to influence both state and privately owned media are constant in Austria. Some politicians are suspected of having used public funds to buy favourable coverage in the tabloid media, while others have tried to intervene by directly going to editorial offices, such as former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. He was forced to resign in 2021 due to suspicions of buying positive coverage in a privately owned newspaper. Journalists are sometimes the targets of political attacks coming from the extremes.

Although various bills are being discussed, Austria is the last EU member state without a freedom of information law. Journalists are, moreover, concerned about the attempt by certain political parties to restrict their access to judicial information. Journalists covering demonstrations are sometimes arbitrarily sanctioned, while others are targeted by SLAPP procedures.

Quality media are in financial difficulty, which has led some of their representatives to call for the urgent adoption of a new law on press subsidies. This would allow public funds to be allocated on the basis of the quality of media content rather than on the basis of circulation, as is currently the case. Tabloids have the highest advertising revenues because of their large circulation.

Journalists are harassed by various interest groups and societal movements, and are liable to censor themselves as a result of online attacks based on their gender, social class, ethnicity or religion. After the Covid-19 pandemic, the war between Russia and Ukraine has become the issue that is polarising Austrian society and encouraging people to question journalism.

Reporters' coverage of protests is facing significant obstruction by police, who use frequent identity checks to harass them and threaten legal action. Women journalists are particularly at risk. Newsrooms often receive threatening letters and messages.