RAVAG

RAVAG, abbreviation for Österreichische Radio-Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft (Austrian radio transmission company), which was established on September 30, 1924 and started to broadcast on October 1, 1924. Its studio and first radio station were located in the buildings of the Heeresministerium (Ministry of Armed Forces) at Stubenring in Vienna. Its initiator and first president was O. Czeija. The Rosenhügel station was opened in 1926 and the 100-kW station on Bisamberg in 1933, both in Vienna. Relay stations were opened in the provinces: Graz (Styria) in 1925, Klagenfurt (Carinthia) and Innsbruck (Tirol) in 1927, Linz (Upper Austria) in 1928, the city of Salzburg (Salzburg) in 1930 and Dornbirn (Vorarlberg) in 1934. As a medium committed to political neutrality it had to rely on news supplied by the Amtliche Nachrichtenstelle (official news agency). The radio station in Johannesgasse in Vienna was seized by the National Socialists in the course of the July Putsch of 1934. In March 1938 RAVAG was subordinated to the German Reichsrundfunkgesellschaft broadcasting company, which bought up the shares of RAVAG. The German Reich Post Office acquired its technical equipment, and the company was deleted from the company register in August 1939. After World War II all radio stations and their equipment were considered German property under the NS regime and put under public administration (Radio).

Literature: V. Ergert, 50 Jahre Rundfunk in Österreich, vol. 1, 1974.