Gerhard Zeiler

President of International, Warner Bros Discovery

Search every verified Gerhard Zeiler interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a February 2026 interview at the Bruno Kreisky Forum, Gerhard Zeiler discussed the state of the ORF and the role of public service broadcasting. He stated that the ORF's current situation resulted from electing two directors‑general whom he categorized as primarily interested in obtaining and keeping the position, lacking either the intellectual capacity or the will to take necessary measures. Zeiler asserted that public service broadcasting has five core mandates, with independent reporting being primary, and argued that failures in this area stem from management, not journalists. Zeiler also commented on U.S. politics, expressing confidence that American institutions are strong enough to resist what he described as attempts by the Trump administration to restrict free opinion‑forming. He reflected on his political views, stating he had believed an SPÖ‑led government would be better for Austria, citing Bruno Kreisky's combination of justice, security, and performance. Zeiler called the SPÖ's abandonment of the term "performance" to more conservative parties one of its biggest mistakes in the last 15 years.