This media criticism would have better practiced the Minister of Women – Diepresse.com
Media Minister Andreas Babler sharply criticized the broadcaster ATV for glorifying attacks on women. He is right in the matter. And yet you can criticize it.
At the weekend, Austria’s media scene was very excited. Some are pleased that a women -looking television show has finally had problems. Others find it problematic that « Falter » editor-in-chief Florian Klenk has given an impressive demonstration of his influence. Still others question that a media minister has shown that he appreciates political influence on concrete content from media.
What happened? On Saturday, media minister Babler reported on the occasion of one ATV-D show. « This open viewing site of sexual exploitation has no search for anything on the media or anywhere else in our society, » said Babler. He did not just want to take note of the « personally and as media minister ». So he would « approach ATV’s management and address the content of this program ».
BABLER did not name the program by name. He didn’t have to, because on the social media from Instagram to Bluesky to X, everyone knew what it was about: « Falter » editor-in-chief Florian Klenk had shortly previously practiced « the business with love » and described them as « a trivialization of Rape Culture, exploitation and women’s trade ». Klenk is not wrong. The show accompanies men who do not find a “suitable” partner in Austria, through the Eastern Europe or to Thailand for “the great love or at least an exciting flirt”. For example, you can see how a man spends a heavily drunk woman from Thailand over his shoulder after making it clear how important it was that a woman wanted sex all the time.
It is pseudodocumentary trash TV that is quota with the exploitation of women-for many years, the format is already in the eleventh season. It should have gotten even worse over time. ATV promptly reacted after a public criticism of the women’s chairman of the SPÖ, ÖVP, the Neos and the Greens.
What are the consequences?
You can be happy that the current program has been taken offline. That criticism finally has an effect. That the broadcaster has to worry about how he explains the content when he « strictly rejects misogynis ». One can be happy that the contracts of those women who are cast for the show are now also subject. And it can still be considered difficult, as the media minister, who sits on the gear levers of power, expressed it.
The question of whether a politician can influence very specific programs was almost lost in the media excitement. Was even seen by some as hypocritical, with the argument that it was clear how intolerable this program was. As if you should only criticize politicians in media content if it comes from the FPÖ. This time everyone may agree, it doesn’t always have to be the case. There are more unclear cases than « the business with love ». Will the minister also speak for other programs, announce discussions with management?
It is not only important what criticism is practiced, but also who practices it. It would have been better that the new Minister of Women Eva-Maria Holzleitner had aggressively criticized the sexual exploitation of women on the show. And braers would create the framework for the fact that such a criticism does not automatically run into nothing.
