Messages in the Media - University of Toronto

BACKGROUND:
Austria joined the EU in 1995, along with Sweden
and Finland, marking the EU’s fourth enlargement. Austria’s
decision was finalized by a national referendum, in
which a majority voted in favor of membership. 1 Previously,
Austria struggled with the idea of joining the EEC, as it
was apprehensive of compromising its neutrality. 2 Despite
years of deliberation concerning the EEC, Austria did not
hesitate to partake in other European initiatives, such as
the EFTA, of which it was a founding member. In 2002 Austria
successfully implemented the euro as its official currency.
MEDIA SOURCES:
Der Standard
www.derstandard.at
Der Standard is a self-proclaimed liberal, national, daily
newspaper, with no public affiliations to any political party.
It is a widely read daily with over 100,000 copies in circulation
daily. The online edition boasts a section explicitly
concerning the EU, with updates made multiple times a
day. 3
Der Österreichische Rundfunk (ORF)
www.orf.at
Der Österreichische Rundfunk is the largest state-owned,
national public service broadcaster in Austria, and provides
the country with a combination of regional and nationwide
television and radio channels. 4
Die Presse
www.diepresse.com
Die Presse is a conservative liberal, national newspaper,
issued daily, and closely linked to the Austrian Peoples’
Party. The paper is considered elitist, with a daily circula-
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