Vienna, Austria – Franz Prenner, a key figure in the development of Austrian television and advertising, has died in Vienna at the age of 71. Prenner’s career spanned both public and private broadcasting, leaving a lasting impact on the Austrian media landscape.
Prenner began his career in advertising, eventually becoming managing director of Publicis Austria. He transitioned to the Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF) in 1995, leading its advertising department – and later ORF Enterprises – until 2002. Following a period managing the Cannes advertising festival,he returned to Austrian television as managing director of ATV,spearheading its launch as a nationwide private channel and establishing a notable presence for commercial television in Austria.
Beyond ATV, Prenner held leadership roles at Mediaprint, overseeing advertising sales, and returned to the ORF in 2010, frist leading ORF Enterprise and later heading ORF market and media research from 2013. A recent accident and subsequent illness preceded his death on sunday.
ORF General Director Roland Weissmann lauded Prenner as “one of the most accomplished media professionals of the past decades.” Thomas Gruber, CEO of ProSiebenSat.1Puls4, remembered him as a “visionary” and “pioneer of private television in Austria.”
