5:43 pm - October 25, 2025
Led by the entrepreneur Florian Novak, Jetzt aims to revive Austria’s media landscape with its subscription-based independent text and audio journalism.
A new independent journalism platform in Austria is attempting a bold experiment: signing up 5,000 paying members before it even launches. The site, called Jetzt, is the brainchild of Florian Novak, and aims to rebuild public trust in news through a blend of in-depth text and audio journalism.
Due to launch in September, Jetzt is selling itself not just as a publisher but as a community. A standard monthly membership costs €17.90, though sliding-scale pricing is available for those unable to pay the full amount. The initial campaign runs until 12 June, with the target of 5,000 members set as the threshold for viability.
Rather than launching and hoping readers will come, Novak is trying to prove there’s demand before the first story is published. It’s a novel approach in a country where concerns over media pluralism, ownership concentration and political interference are mounting. The recent closure of the Wiener Zeitung and Austria’s slide in press freedom rankings have underscored how fragile independent journalism has become.
Jetzt will offer a curated daily briefing alongside one or two deeply reported stories, with all content available in both text and audio. But this isn’t a text-to-speech service – the goal is for journalists to present their stories conversationally, creating a more intimate and personal tone. Novak believes audio could become the preferred format for the majority of members.
He says too much of Austria’s public discourse is either polarised or stale. While outlets like Der Standard provide space for comment, Jetzt aims to go further by having its journalists moderate discussions themselves. This is about transparency, says Novak, but also about building trust and giving audiences a stake in the editorial process.
The founding team includes Elisalex Henckel-Donnersmarck as editor-in-chief, bringing with her experience from Die Zeit and profile.at. The platform is already promoting itself via social media and events, including the recent Journalism Festival in Innsbruck.
The venture arrives at a moment when political and public concern about media disinformation is growing. Austria’s Social Democratic Party recently proposed subsidising news subscriptions for 16 to 30-year-olds, citing the erosion of trust among young people. Novak argues that sustainability must be rooted in paying readers – not just public funds – or quality journalism will continue to decline.
By tying its future to member support before publishing a single edition, Jetzt is testing whether Austrians are ready to invest in a more participatory, less polarised form of journalism. Whether the audience responds in kind could offer a model – or a cautionary tale – for media innovation far beyond Vienna.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.sn.at/kultur/allgemein/fuer-medienprojekt-jetzt-178695826 – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://rsf.org/en/country/austria – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) provides an overview of Austria’s media landscape, highlighting challenges such as political pressures, restrictions on access to information, and violence against journalists. The report notes that Austria’s media market is small and concentrated, with the closure of the ‘Wiener Zeitung’ in 2023 further weakening media pluralism. The report also discusses the dominance of tabloids and the influence of political figures on media coverage.
- https://rsf.org/en/analyse_regionale/876 – RSF’s 2023 analysis of Austria’s media landscape details issues like political interference, financial difficulties of quality media, and the lack of a freedom of information law. The report emphasizes the need for press subsidies based on content quality and highlights the challenges faced by journalists, including harassment and legal threats.
- https://www.politico.eu/article/austria-social-democrats-vow-fund-media-press-subscriptions-people-under-30/ – The Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) proposes funding newspaper subscriptions for readers aged 16-30 to combat fake news. The plan includes state subsidies of up to €150 per year for media subscriptions, aiming to strengthen quality journalism and address declining trust in the media among young Austrians.
- https://www.newslaundry.com/2024/06/19/need-high-quality-journalism-in-austria-opposition-left-party-pledges-media-subscriptions-for-youth – Austria’s opposition left party, the SPÖ, pledges to fund media subscriptions for youth to counter disinformation. The proposal includes state subsidies of up to €150 per year for individuals aged 16-30, aiming to promote high-quality journalism and combat the spread of fake news among young voters.
- https://www.expatica.com/at/moving/about/austria-news-2173084/ – Expatica provides insights into Austria’s media landscape, discussing the reliability and political biases of Austrian news sources. The article highlights the dominance of tabloids, the influence of political parties on media outlets, and the challenges faced by independent media in gaining a foothold in the market.
- https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/digitalnewsreport2023pdf/259108174 – The Digital News Report 2023 offers an overview of Austria’s media landscape, including the dominance of the public Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) and the concentration of the print media sector. The report discusses the challenges faced by quality media, the influence of political parties on media outlets, and the need for press subsidies to support quality journalism.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative refers to events expected to unfold in 2024, including a planned launch in September and recent developments like the closure of ‘Wiener Zeitung’ earlier this year, consistent with current media discussions. No dated or recycled content patterns were detected, and the promotion activities mentioned are timely. There is no indication that the text is a press release, which often scores higher for freshness due to their original and current nature.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from Florian Novak, the founder of ‘Jetzt’, particularly about the importance of financial sustainability and community involvement. Attempts to locate earlier online appearances of these exact quotes yielded no prior records, suggesting originality or first-time publication of these statements. This adds credibility as original content rather than recycled quotations.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative originates from a known Austrian media platform (sn.at), which provides cultural and general news. While not globally renowned like BBC or Reuters, it is a recognised regional source with a focus on contemporary Austrian topics. Therefore, it holds moderate reliability, but less than major international outlets.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims regarding the launch of ‘Jetzt’, its membership goals, pricing, editorial ambitions, and contextual media landscape challenges align well with known issues affecting Austrian media today, such as state subsidy discussions and media pluralism concerns. The description of the proposed audio content format matches broader industry trends. No implausible or unverifiable claims stand out.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative presents a fresh, plausible account of the upcoming launch of the ‘Jetzt’ platform in Austria, featuring original quotes and consistent contextual details of the current media environment. It comes from a moderately reliable regional media outlet. The information is coherent, timely, and well supported by trends and facts known about Austria’s journalism challenges, justifying a high confidence pass.
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