Content distribution for TV, radio and streaming
ORS guarantees programme broadcasters the transmission of audio and audiovisual content via terrestrial, satellite and cable as well as IP services and streaming solutions.
ORS's service portfolio includes the technical distribution of radio and television programmes via terrestrial transmitters and satellite, the provision of transmitter sites as part of co-location services, advice on official channels and communication measures for product launches as well as the implementation of streaming solutions.
In addition to the company headquarters in Vienna, ORS operates the technical control centre for all transmitter sites in Austria at the ORF media campus on Küniglberg and has technical bases in Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Dornbirn, Graz and Klagenfurt, among others, for the maintenance and installation of nationwide transmitters.
Ownership structure
ORS was founded in early 2005, originating from ORF's Broadcast Engineering. 60 percent of it is owned by ORF and 40 percent by Medicur Sendeanlagen GmbH which, in turn, is part of Raiffeisen group.
The ORS group consists of Österreichische Rundfunksender GmbH & Co KG - Austrian Broadcasting Services (ORS) and its subsidiary ORS comm GmbH & Co KG (ORS comm).
In 2012, simpli services GmbH & Co KG, a subsidiary of ORS, was founded for the dissemination of the TV product simpliTV. In recent years, ORS group has evolved from a transmitter network operator into a "Digital Content Gateway" and as a reliable partner, guarantees perfect "content transport" via cable, IP, satellite and antenna and offers as well IP services and streaming solutions.
Furthermore, since 2023, ORS is involved with the Polish OTT company Insys Video Technologies. This company offers whitelabel streaming solutions and services to support the online video business of companies and organizations.
ORS
With its specialized know-how and nationwide transmitter network, ORS serves a large number of program broadcasters.
In addition to the public broadcaster (ORF), ORS's customers include virtually all of Austria's private TV and radio providers, international customers, as well as mobile communications companies, public authorities and blue-light organizations.
Our central business areas:
ORS is also leading research in Europe on the new 5G Broadcast transmission standard.
ORS comm
ORS comm was newly established in 2011. All commercial business is handled by this company.
The 2010 amendment to the ORF Act provides for a separation of public service activities from commercial activities at ORS. For this reason, ORS comm GmbH & Co KG (a wholly owned subsidiary of ORS) was founded in 2011.
The public-law business with ORF and closely related commercial business will remain in the existing ORS. ORS comm bundles all commercial activities that are not related to the public service mission.
This is what ORS stands for
Austria's media diversity is based on ORS's easily accessible services. This is how we enable the democratic and cultural diversity of Austrian society!
Smear campaigns in social media to influence public opinion as well as the politically targeted spread of fake news and alternative facts endanger progressive democracies. Therefore, traditional media committed to quality journalism have an important role to play for stable democracies.
The low-threshold technical communication of media content that is easily accessible to the general public is a central prerequisite for fulfilling this role.