Austrian Court of Audit Criticizes Government Media Practices

Audit finds incomprehensible decisions and lack of transparency

ACA requests improved guidelines and accountability mechanisms

The Austrian Court of Audit (ACA) has released a critical report on the media practices of government ministries, citing a lack of transparency and incomprehensible decision-making processes. The audit, which covered the period 2017-2022, found that ministries often failed to provide clear justification for their media spending and that there was a lack of guidelines and accountability mechanisms.

The ACA specifically criticized the lack of transparency in the allocation of funds for media campaigns and the absence of clear criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of such campaigns. The report also highlighted the lack of coordination between ministries in their media efforts, leading to duplication and waste.

The ACA has made several recommendations to improve the media practices of government ministries, including the development of clear guidelines for media spending, the establishment of an independent body to evaluate the effectiveness of media campaigns, and the creation of a central database to track all media expenditures.

The government has welcomed the ACA's report and has pledged to implement its recommendations. The Minister for Communications has stated that the government is committed to improving the transparency and accountability of its media practices and that it will work closely with the ACA to ensure that the necessary reforms are put in place.