Photos: © P Schaller, R Eckharter

www.machtdernacht.tv 6th March 2003

Photo: © machtdernacht.tv

OÖN May 2001

Show-esque prizes were pouring down yesterday evening in Vienna - the Amadeus Austrian Music Awards 2001. The small-time version of the music-Oscars Grammy is a self important format with no value. Why? For the nominations are exclusively the decisive hit parade placings. They are decided by sales. Influence on one hand by radio time or by the appeal of a name. The Amadeus Award is a commercial contest, artistic value (eg Hubert von Goisern's Fön) can happen, but it is not a criterion. It verges on the ridiculous when Wolfgang Ambros, who with his Waits interpretation has delivered a first rate work, is thrown into a pot with A Klana Indiana and DJ Ötzi. And it is really odd that Santana with Supernatural appears in the International Pop/ Rock area. He has already raked in 9 Grammys in March 2000 for it. Not much fresher is Tom Jones' Reload album, likewise nominated. What do you need International categories for anyway? Is there an Austrian inferiority complex to blame for it? We would like a national exhibition of work from artistic aspects. Perhaps ORF will not record this. But that should not be the measure of things.

Bernhard Lichtenberger

APA May 2001

Hubert von Goisern's critical words at the Amadeus Award ceremony are edited

Vienna - In the general jubilation, his words had seemed rather harsh: in his acceptance speech for the award of Best National Solo Artist at the "Amadeus Austrian Music Award 2001" on Wednesday, Hubert von Goisern spoke about "a bit too much self-congratulation from ORF and the music industry" and reproached those responsible at the ORF for not looking after Austrian pop music, and only playing what the public wanted to hear. In the ORF broadcast a day later, these criticisms were not shown in their full wording.

The Austrian Music Council are now protesting against it "most strongly" in a programme. "In his acceptance speech at the Amadeus Awards 2001, Hubert von Goisern used very harsh and very brave words about the small presence of Austrian musicians in ORF's programme: the tumultuous and unanimous applause from those present showed the partly very prominent audience how current and explosive the subject is," said a statement signed by the Music Council president Harald Ossberger. "In the recording of the event broadcast the next day (10th May) the greatest and most fundamental part of the speech was missing and thereby turned by ORF into a relatively harmless criticism. The Austrian Music Council protested most strongly about it, saying that in this way ORF kept the truth from the public and therefore did not fulfil its duty to inform." "The Austrian Music Council stands emphatically behind Hubert von Goisern, who with exemplary courage has looked after the situation of his colleagues who are struggling for their existence," it said in conclusion.

© APA OTS GmbH

APA May 2001

To "The statement of the Austrian Music Council about the recording of the Amadeus Awards 2001", the ORF emphasises:

The recording of the Amadeus Gala on Wednesday 9th May 2001 lasted exactly 125 minutes and had to be cut by 20 minutes 45 seconds to 104 minutes 15 seconds for the scheduled transmission. As with any editing, the primary objective is that the viewers experience the atmosphere and entertainment value of the gala. Therefore, show acts and moderation as well as sequences with speeches and winners were cut with great care - and also the speeches from president Dr Thomas Klestil, Dagmar Koller and Lou Bega. Using the same criteria the speech of Hubert von Goisern was also edited. The principle critical message of his words remains intact. Simply each passage of Hubert von Goisern's statement in which followed personal attacks on people who in the context of a light music entertainment programme could not answer or react, had to be cut. Furthermore an extensive discussion of the music format of Ö3 - to which naturally also contributions on the standpoint of Ö3 would have belonged - in these surroundings was neither scheduled or possible.

It cannot be said that as the "Austrian Music Council" claimed "ORF in this way kept the truth from the public and therefore did not fulfil its duty to inform."

© APA OTS GmbH

Kurier 18th May 2001

Handled correctly

At the Amadeus Award gala, Hubert von Goisern attracted attention with a brave acceptance speech, in which he criticised the lack of Austrian music on ORF, above all on Ö3. In the ORF broadcast of the gala, large passages of this speech were missing, against which more native music representatives protested. In an open letter, Goisern now explains that his speech was "correctly" edited by ORF, his criticisms reached their addressees anyway.

Kurier 12th May 2001

At the presentation of the Amadeus Awards 2001, Hubert von Goisern sharply criticised the modest presence of Austrian musicians in ORF programming. But in the recording of the programme broadcast on Thursday, suddenly the largest and most fundamental part of the speech was missing and "with that was reduced by ORF to a relatively harmless criticism", the Austrian music council protested "most severely".

Pilz in Betrifft

Neues Volksblatt June 2001

It's calmer again. The noise in the media forest has abated. Mr and Mrs Austrian now know from a number of newspaper articles, that music from our own country is having a hard time, that the ORF is hindering talent and possible success is nipped in the bud. It may be a poor consolation for singers, composers and lyricists from Austria, that the statistics in Switzerland are still behind us. In Switzerland, the music made in that country is championed even less than "our" songs are by the ORF. What must be said can't be said often enough. In this sense: Thank you very much, Hubert von Goisern! Thank you for your courageous words on a subject that neither the Austrian audience, nor artists are indifferent to.
 
© 2000 Österreichische Zeitungs-, Verlags und Vertriebsgesellschaft m.b.H.

OÖN 12th May 2001

"I don't think they will cut out what Hubert said, because if they do that, civil war comes on the scene," said Rainhard Fendrich speaking on OÖN before the broadcast of the Amadeus Awards on ORF, and he was wrong. Fendrich, who was at the awards as eulogiser and music star with his single Entsetzlich hetero, said of the moment when Hubert von Goisern spoke his critical words about the ORF and the music industry, "Kolonovits and I looked at each other and said: Yes, finally someone has said it. I sent Hubert a solidarity mail so that he knows that he is not alone.

© 2001 Medienhaus Wimmer

Neues Volksblatt May 2001

For the second time on Wednesday evening, the Viennese ORF centre was the backdrop for the Amadeus Austrian Music Award of the national music business. The prize for Best National Solo Artist - Rock/Pop went to Hubert von Goisern. In his acceptance speech, the upper Austrian ethno musician found fault with the "inadequate support of the national music scene by the media and the music business." Jazz musician, Joe Zawinul, received his prize from the President Thomas Klestil, for his work Mauthausen which has been there on KZ for two years.

© 2000 Österreichische Zeitungs-, Verlags und Vertriebsgesellschaft m.b.H.

OÖN 11th May 2001

Around 1000 guests gathered together on Wednesday for the Amadeus Austrian Music Awards on various halls of the ORF centre at Künilberg and chatted at the Do & Co. buffet until late into the night. For example, about the "rebellious" Hubert von Goisern, who had attacked the national broadcasters Ö3 in front of the cameras, because of their anti-Austrian attitude. Hubert afterwards: "What bothers me the most is that everyone up to the Ö3 boss Bogdan Roscic refer to it only to be an accomplice for moneymaking. They should not just be washing their hands of it, but should have the courage to carry through their own ideas."

Ludwig Heinrich
© 2001 Medienhaus Wimmer

OÖN 12th May 2001

In front of the cameras at the Amadeus Awards last Wednesday, Hubert von Goisern appeared "rebellious" and attacked Ö3. In the broadcast the next evening, some text was missing. That is the reason for an interview with the entertainer, who is giving a seminar in Bad Ischl today.

Do you feel censored?

No, I am not angry about it, the whole broadcast must be properly edited.

In the unbroadcast text, you described the visit to director Gerhard Weis and Ö3 boss Bogdan Roscic...

I told Mr Weis that I didn't think the situation was good for Austrian artists on Ö3 and he thought he would be the happiest person if I could get Ö3 to play more Austrian music. I wanted to go to Mr Roscic.

And what happened?

Bogdan Roscic thought that he would simply play what the people wanted. In this sense, he is the bearer of the worst news. This "what the people want" in my opinion makes a nonsense of the fact that the Amadeus is awarded according to sales success and that Ö3 will not play anything without Marque. What was missing with Roscic, who was a clever conversation partner, was backbone and courage, more than just being a henchman. Ö3 is not a private broadcaster, but a public service, and that is why there is also a job to do.

What about your seminar today in Bad Ischl?

I am a lecturer at Salzburg University and I am doing the seminar "Tradition and Breaks", about the identity of homeland/ folk music with a philosophy professor. In order not to stay in an academic ivory tower, we are now going out of the lecture hall and into Ischl itself, I think, the traditional is perceptible and audible.

Your next plans?

Touring, touring, touring. I will use the winter break for the production of a new CD. I can already hear the general idea, it is just difficult to describe it. What can you call something that is really so beautiful? Describing music is like dancing architecture.

PS. Meanwhile, the Austrian music council is protesting against the editing of the full wording of Hubert's Amadeus commentary. ORF, it is said, keeps its audience in this way "the truth first and their duty to inform is not fulfilled."

Ludwig Heinrich
© 2001 Medienhaus Wimmer

Tiroler Tageszeitung 11th May 2001

The Association of the Austrian Music Industry IFPI awarded the Amadeus Austrian Music Award in the Vienna ORF Centre

For the second time this year, the most successful national and international artists were honoured with the desirable trophies in altogether 25 categories. Joe Zawinul received the Amadeus in the category Jazz/ Blues/ Folk. The deceased Günter Brödl, inventor of Ostbahn-Kurti, was honoured posthumously with an Amadeus for his life's work. Equally, Marque was awarded twice in the category Best Single (One To Make Her Happy) and Newcomer of the Year.

Critics of ORF, above all Ö3, came from several distinguished artists. Hubert von Goisern, who was honoured as Best National Solo Artist in the Rock/Pop area, judged ORF director Gerhard Weiss and Ö3 boss Bogdan Roscic. He accused ORF of boycotting Austrian artists. Similarly tough, if also with usual sharper pen, the two FM4 stars Stermann and Grissemann touched the raw nerve of the public and got thunderous applause just like Goisern.

A 500 member jury nominated the winner for each individual category and finally chose, said Manfred Lappe, President of the IFPI Austria. In 2000, 450 million Schillings were given to Musik Made In Austria. The winners of each category are accessible online at www.amadeus-award.at

Kurier 11. Mai 2001

The music industry gives out the Amadeus Award and must take criticism with it

That was just a bit too much self-congratulation from ORF and the music industry thought Hubert von Goisern in his thank you speech with which he accepted his Amadeus Austrian Music Award for the Best Solo National Artist on Wednesday evening.

Beforehand, you could hear from the main speaker and from the presenter Viktor Gernot, that ORF pays 500 million Schillings every year in the form of royalties to the Verwertungsgesellschaften and enters into hundreds of co-operative arrangements with the record industry, that more than 150 Austrian acts are played on Ö3 and that the Austrians spent roughly 450 million Schillings on Musik Made In Austria in the last year.

Fainthearted

Von Goisern put this self-portrait against his own experiences: with the demand for more Austrian pop on the radio, he had been referred to Ö3 chief Bogdan Roscic by director Weis, the former legitimised his music programme through the public's taste. "Fainthearted" thought Hubert von Goisern.

"I thought what Hubert said was super," added DJ Ötzi, who is ignored by Ö3. He accepted his prize as Most Successful Native Act Abroad. Also a member of the award-wining producer group Ultimatief, which along with Ötzi is responsible for A Klana Indiana was at pains to say that he had "always been a critic of the industry".

Self-confidence

The demonstration of self-confidence of the home music industry - as such Amadeus has been brought into being in the last year - was not done without a certain desire for self-castigation. The FM4 jokers Grissemann and Stermann, who honoured the Hip-Hop Combo Waxolutionists as Alternative Act of the Year criticised the fact that the young musicians were indeed honoured by the trophy, but would not receive any money.

After that, the music gala developed statesman-like dimensions, when President Thomas Klestil himself gave the eulogy for the prize winner in the category National Jazz/ Blues/ Folk Artist to his old friend Joe Zawinal. Günter Brödl, the late author, lyricist and creator of Kurt Ostbahn, was posthumously honoured with an Amadeus for his life's work.

In the category Best National Rock/Pop Group, the Viennese electronic musicians Tosca surprisingly won.

Michael Huber

ORF May 2001

Hubert von Goisern (best national solo artist) made known his ill humour about the insufficient support from native media and the industry for native acts in front of rolling cameras: The artist even spoke of "self-congratulation". The Amadeus "perhaps symbolises the pink noise that sometimes gets through".

"We are often treated like lepers, as if we have a rash and must be put in quarantine," summarised Hubert von Goisern. Indeed, as a successful artist it could be all the same to him, whether he is played on the radio or not, but recently he has been "dreadfully annoyed" - especially after discussions with those responsible for the programme.

Telekurier May 2001

In the framework of the show, there was a lot of praise for the artists and the business, but musicians like Hubert von Goisern also did not save on criticism for the system. In his eulogy Goisern said: "Perhaps the prize symbolises the pink noise that sometimes gets through." With that, the musician criticised the, in his opinion, insufficient support of the native music scene by the media and music business. Some colleagues agreed with the reproach in his speech.

Kurier May 2001

Then the time came. Hubert von Goisern received an award in a surprising way. And Mr Goisern knows to jump about with authorities who hope for a beautiful thank you speech. He thereupon fulfilled this pious desire on the part of the critics straight away. Hubert von Goisern said what many thought. Some sideswipes at ORF, above all Ö3, at the Austrian music industry and the organisers: "... probably no law exists that the Austrian music industry celebrates itself" is reason enough that ORF will probably cut Hubert from the broadcast. The reason why this evening I will sit in front of the television and watch the Amadeus programme. Perhaps ORF will nevertheless have the courage to leave the red pencil in the bag.

Thomas Heher