Fighting Back

Austrian Broadcaster Sues Politician Who Called It Fake News

The country’s vice chancellor called the channel “a place where lies become news.”

It’s become the tactic of choice for many politicians trying to dismiss unflattering media coverage—but one Austrian broadcaster is fighting back after the country’s deputy leader called it fake news. Austria’s public broadcaster, ORF, has filed a lawsuit against the country’s vice chancellor and leader of the far-right Freedom Party after he accused the channel of being “a place where lies become news” in a post on Facebook. Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache—a longtime critic of ORF, who previously accusing it of left-wing bias—later insisted the post was supposed to be satirical and he wasn’t making a serious point. The director general of ORF said: “Vice Chancellor Strache accused ORF, by doctoring ORF advertising material, of spreading fake news, lies, and propaganda in all its media,” adding that it was “libelous and damaging to [ORF’s] reputation.”