ABSTRACT
Austria was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic only weeks after a new coalition government between the conservative ÖVP and the Green Party had taken office. Crisis communication on the COVID-19 measures was particularly crucial for the government’s approval. The government’s choice of televised press conferences as their main means of communication indicated the graveness of the situation, as they are perceived as a very strong means to lead news coverage. In this chapter, we analyse the government’s (almost daily) televised press conferences between mid-March and May 2020, which they used to convey concrete COVID-19 laws and measures as well as reassure the public. Our results show firstly, the pandemic was mainly framed as a threat to Austria’s national security and safety; secondly, unlike other countries, Austria did not rely on health specialists to inform the public about the pandemic. Incidentally, the pandemic thrust the OVP’s coalition partner into the spotlight, with the Green Party’s Rudolf Anschober, the Health Minister, becoming one of Austria’s most popular politicians. Overall, the measures to prevent spread of COVID-19 were effective, but the handling of the outbreak in the ski resort of Ischgl and the government’s inconsistent communication on the measures became subject of increasing criticism.
