Presseclub Concordia

What Presseclub Concordia does

Presseclub Concordia, legally "Vereinigung österreichischer Journalistinnen und Schriftstellerinnen" (Austrian Association of Journalists and Writers), is a Vienna-based nonprofit membership association founded in 1859 and recognized as the oldest press club in the world. The organization serves over 580 member journalists and writers, and more broadly the Austrian journalism community, by combining professional representation, legal protection, training, advocacy, and convening services. Its mission centers on safeguarding press freedom, defending quality journalism, and supporting journalists facing legal threats including SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation).

The organization's core product portfolio is structured around three pillars: (1) the Rechtsdienst Journalismus legal programme — a three-tier offering of free media/copyright law training, individual legal consultation, and process/litigation assistance, underwritten by VG Rundfunk and Literar-Mechana; (2) the Klagsfonds Journalismus — a dedicated SLAPP litigation fund operated in partnership with DATUM Stiftung; and (3) the Concordia Preise and Gatterer Award annual journalism prizes. Complementary offerings include venue hire at Concordia Haus (a 16th-century palace in Vienna's government district with capacity for up to 80 people), the Concordia International Online Press Conferences service (fee-based moderation and outreach for governments, institutions, NGOs, and companies targeting European and North American audiences), educational seminars (Legal Basics series), the Concordia Podcast, the Concordia Ball gala at Vienna City Hall, and the Concordia verbrieft newsletter. The technology stack is conventional and low-complexity — a WordPress-based multilingual (German/English) website using WPML, WooCommerce for membership fee processing via mPAY24, and Zoom for online press conference delivery.

Revenue is generated through four streams: recurring journalist membership subscriptions, one-time venue rental fees for Concordia Haus, fee-based professional services for online press conferences, and event-based professional services including the Concordia Ball. The customer base is horizontally segmented into member journalists/writers (primary), institutional clients commissioning online press conferences (secondary), and the broader Austrian journalist community benefiting from free legal training. Strategic distribution is primarily domestic with international reach limited to the online press conference offering and membership in the International Association of Press Clubs. The organization has recently faced a significant leadership discontinuity with the death of longtime President Andreas Koller in June 2026, with Secretary General Daniela Kraus continuing to lead operations.

Name

Presseclub Concordia

Legal name

Vereinigung österreichischer Journalisten und Schriftsteller

Website

https://concordia.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1859

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Presseclub Concordia is the world's oldest press club, founded in 1859 in Vienna, serving over 580 Austrian journalist and writer members through legal protection (Rechtsdienst Journalismus, Klagsfonds), press freedom advocacy, journalism awards, venue hire, and international online press conference services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services for Journalists

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Public Relations Agencies (541820), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nonprofit & Cause Communications (BPAFADAK), Media Relations & Press Office Services (BPAFADAF), Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics) (MPAGAGAM)

Keywords

• Journalist association services
• Press freedom advocacy
• Anti-SLAPP legal support
• Online press conferences
• Journalism awards

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Journalists and writers pay membership fees to join the association. Members receive benefits including priority access to legal trainings, networking events, and the Concordia Ball.
2. Venue rental (Pressekonferenz-Räumlichkeiten): The Concordia Haus facilities (hall seating up to 80 people, club room seating 15-25) are rented out for press conferences, panel discussions, lectures, workshops, book presentations, award ceremonies, and other events. Catering services are also offered.
3. Concordia International Online Press Conferences: Fee-based online press conference organization and moderation services for governments, political parties, institutions, think-tanks, NGOs, associations and companies targeting European and North American audiences.
4. Event-based professional services: Organization and hosting of events including the Concordia Ball, awards ceremonies, conferences, and seminars. Revenue may include sponsorship and ticket sales.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Presseclub Concordia is a nonprofit membership association for Austrian journalists and writers that delivers a portfolio of services including legal protection against SLAPPs through the Rechtsdienst Journalismus programme and Klagsfonds Journalismus fund, annual journalism awards (Concordia Preise and Gatterer Award), venue rental of the historic Concordia Haus in Vienna, Concordia International Online Press Conferences for governments and institutions, Legal Basics legal training seminars, expert discussion series (Concordia Contexts/European Contexts), and the annual Concordia Ball gala.

Product overview

Presseclub Concordia is a professional journalists' association founded in 1859 offering a portfolio of services centered around press freedom advocacy and journalist support. Core offerings include the Rechtsdienst Journalismus legal protection program (with training, legal advice, and litigation fund components), journalism awards (Concordia Preise and Gatterer-Auszeichnung), venue rental at Concordia Haus, online press conference services, educational seminars (Legal Basics), and a member newsletter and podcast. The organization functions as both a service provider and advocacy body for Austrian journalists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Concordia Haus: The historic venue at Bankgasse 8 in Vienna's government district, available for hosting press conferences and events.
• Concordia International Press Conferences
• Rechtsdienst Journalismus
• Concordia Podcast
• Concordia Contexts
• European Contexts

Products and services

• Rechtsdienst Journalismus (Legal Service for Journalism) Three-tiered legal support programme for journalists comprising media and copyright law training (Schulungen), individual legal consultation (individuelle Rechtsauskunft), and process assistance (Prozesshilfe) including financial litigation support against SLAPPs and intimidation lawsuits. Targets Austrian journalists.
• Klagsfonds Journalismus (Litigation Fund for Journalism) Protective fund established with DATUM Stiftung providing financial and legal support for freelance journalists and small media organisations threatened by abusive SLAPP lawsuits. A three-member decision committee jointly appointed by DATUM Stiftung and Presseclub Concordia adjudicates cases.
• Concordia Haus Venue Rental Rental of historic premises at Bankgasse 8, Vienna, offering a hall (up to 80 people) and club room (15-25 people) for press conferences, panel discussions, lectures, workshops, book presentations, and award ceremonies, with catering services available.
• Concordia International Press Conferences Fee-based online press conference organisation and moderation service for governments, political parties, institutions, think-tanks, NGOs, associations and companies targeting European and North American audiences, with multilingual moderation (English, German, Spanish, Italian, French), coaching, journalist/media influencer identification, registration, and technical support.
• Concordia Preise (Concordia Awards) Annual awards honouring outstanding journalistic achievements in the categories of Human Rights (Menschenrechte) and Press Freedom (Pressefreiheit), each endowed with €5,000. Awarded since 1997.
• Claus Gatterer Award (Gatterer-Auszeichnung) Annual award for outstanding journalism in memory of Claus Gatterer, endowed with €10,000, presented by the Autonomous Province of Bozen-South Tyrol in collaboration with the Michael-Gaismair-Gesellschaft Bozen.
• Mitgliedschaft (Membership) Annual professional membership subscription for journalists and writers with 580+ members, providing access to the Rechtsdienst Journalismus legal programme, priority access to legal trainings, networking events, the Concordia Ball, and venue use. Membership fees are collected via the mPAY24 payment gateway.
• Legal Basics Seminar Series Educational seminar series providing journalists with legal fundamentals covering constitutional law, civil procedure, criminal law, media law, international law, labour law, and source protection. Free for all journalists; priority registration for Concordia members and partner organisations (Freischreiber, Frauennetzwerk Medien).
• Concordia Ball Annual prestigious gala event celebrating free journalism, held at Vienna City Hall (Rathaus). The 126th edition was held on 22 May 2026.
• Concordia Contexts / European Contexts Series of expert discussions on foreign policy and European affairs, featuring international speakers and diplomatic analysts. Co-organised with partners including ERSTE Stiftung, IWM, and fjum.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400 supporters signed the popular complaint (Popularbeschwerde) for ORF independence filed with KommAustria.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Michael-Gaismair-Gesellschaft BozencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-issuing body of the 'Auszeichnung für hervorragenden Journalismus im Gedenken an Claus Gatterer' alongside Presseclub Concordia. The award is endowed by the Autonomous Province of Bolzano – South Tyrol and supported by the municipality of Sexten.
• European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPMF's Legal Support Programme, led by Flutura Kusari, provides expert support for journalists facing SLAPP attacks across Europe. The Presseclub Concordia collaborates with ECPMF on SLAPP-related advocacy and knowledge sharing. Concordia staff participate in ECPMF events and vice versa.
• CASE – Coalition against SLAPPs in EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCASE is a European coalition of civil society organisations fighting SLAPPs. Presseclub Concordia is a member and participated in delivering a petition with over 200,000 signatures to EU Vice-President Jourová calling for a strong EU Anti-SLAPP Directive.
• Freischreiber (Freelance Journalists Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFreischreiber is a partner organisation for Concordia legal training (Schulungen). Members of Freischreiber receive priority registration for the free legal training seminars alongside Concordia members.
• Frauennetzwerk MedienminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrauennetzwerk Medien is a partner organisation for Concordia legal training. Members receive priority registration alongside Concordia members and Freischreiber members.
• International Association of Press ClubscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresseclub Concordia is a proud member of the International Association of Press Clubs, connecting it with press clubs worldwide.
• fjum – Forschungsinstitut für Journalismus und MedienmanagementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerfjum (Forum Journalismus und Medien) co-organises events with Concordia including the European Contexts series and joint seminars. Mirjana Tomić serves as seminar director for fjum/Presseclub Concordia.
• ERSTE StiftungcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerERSTE Stiftung co-organises events at Concordia including the 'Europe's Futures' programme series and European Contexts seminars on topics such as elections, world order, and migration.
• IWM – Institute for Human Sciences (Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIWM co-organises European Contexts events and other seminars with Concordia. Ivan Vejvoda of IWM serves as moderator for joint events.
• Forum InformationsfreiheitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForum Informationsfreiheit is an association focused on freedom of information. Markus Hametner, data journalist and board member of the forum, serves as speaker at a Concordia Legal Basics seminar on information freedom.
• ProQuote Medien (D), Frauennetzwerk Medien (Ö), Medienfrauen Schweiz (CH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFour European journalism organisations (ProQuote Medien Germany, Presseclub Concordia Austria, Frauennetzwerk Medien Austria, Medienfrauen Schweiz Switzerland) jointly issued 8 demands for gender equality in media in 2020.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Reporters Without Borders (RSF): International press-freedom organisation publishing the annual World Press Freedom Index and running legal support programmes. RSF and Concordia are highly aligned on SLAPP defence, press-freedom advocacy, and recognition of at-risk journalism.
• International Federation of Journalists (IFJ): The world's largest organisation of journalists, representing trade unions and press associations globally. It shares Concordia's core mission of supporting journalists and press freedom but operates at a much larger, federation scale.
• International Press Institute (IPI): Global network of editors, journalists and media executives advocating for press freedom and quality journalism. IPI's mission and pan-European advocacy portfolio overlap significantly with Concordia's role as an Austrian press-freedom hub.
• Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): US-headquartered press-freedom organisation that monitors attacks on journalists worldwide and advocates for their protection. CPJ overlaps with Concordia's advocacy and award functions, especially on press-freedom issues affecting European journalists.
• European Federation of Journalists (EFJ): Regional federation of European journalists' unions and associations. EFJ and Concordia overlap in European press-freedom advocacy, professional representation of journalists, and engagement on EU media-policy issues such as SLAPPs.

Direct peers

• National Press Club (Washington, DC): The largest and most prominent US press club, providing membership, networking events, awards and venue facilities for journalists. It is the closest structural analogue to Concordia in a different national market, sharing the membership-association-plus-event-venue model.
• The Press Club (UK): UK-based press club offering networking, speaker events and journalism support to its members. It mirrors Concordia's combination of membership services, journalism events and venue-based programming for a national journalist community.
• European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF): European organisation defending press and media freedom, with a Legal Support Programme led by Flutura Kusari that explicitly partners with Concordia on SLAPP-related advocacy. The missions and target audiences (European journalists facing legal threats) are directly aligned.
• fjum – Forum Journalismus und Medien: Austrian institute for journalism and media management that co-organises Concordia events including the European Contexts series and joint seminars. It serves overlapping Austrian journalist and media-manager audiences and is a documented operational partner.

Regional players

• Verband Österreichischer Zeitungen (VÖZ): The Austrian newspaper publishers' association, representing the industry's employers side. While membership-based and Austrian like Concordia, VÖZ represents publishers rather than individual journalists, making it a regional industry counterpart rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pcconcordia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4LpBl2YjnFaLmI8tcgcfjw
• Facebookfacebook.com/presseclubconcordia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/presseclub-concordia
• Instagraminstagram.com/pcconcordia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Presseclub Concordia