Mitterstieler wins another five-year term as ORF Tirol director

Esther Mitterstieler has been reappointed director of ORF’s regional studio in Tyrol for another five years, ORF reported. She has held the position since 2022.

The journalist previously worked for several Austrian media outlets. Born in Völs am Schlern on September 8, 1968, she studied literature, contemporary history and philosophy in Bologna, Italy.

Mitterstieler began her journalism career in 1993 as a business editor at the Dolomiten newspaper in Bolzano. She joined Der Standard five years later and also worked from 1999 as Vienna correspondent for the Börsen-Zeitung in Frankfurt.

In 2005, she became deputy editor-in-chief of medianet and moved to the same role at Wirtschaftsblatt in 2009. She became the newspaper’s editor-in-chief in 2012. In 2014, she received the Dr Karl Renner journalism award in the print category. She joined News in 2015 and became its editor-in-chief in 2017.

Mitterstieler joined ORF in 2019, taking charge of the business department in the broadcaster’s radio news operation in Vienna. As director of the Tyrol studio, she was responsible for preparing regional ORF news and entertainment for current challenges. During her tenure, the studio made several changes to its radio programme and news coverage, while its social media reach and following grew significantly.

In 2023, controversy arose over Mitterstieler’s use in Austria of the title “Dr” as a translation of her academic title from Italy. Following criticism, she changed it to the correct Italian designation.

The ORF Foundation Council confirmed Mitterstieler on Tuesday at the proposal of designated ORF director general Clemens Pig. The council approved Pig’s full proposed management team after several hours of deliberations.

The future team will also include Silvia Lieb, the former chairwoman of the Moser Holding board in Innsbruck, which publishes the Tiroler Tageszeitung. Lieb will become ORF director for finance and administration.