Radio Maria Österreich

What Radio Maria Österreich does

Radio Maria Österreich is a non-profit Catholic radio broadcaster (Verein, ZVR-Nr. 311304333) headquartered at Pottendorfer Straße 21, 1120 Vienna, with additional studios in Innsbruck and Amstetten. It operates as part of the World Family of Radio Maria, a global Catholic radio network with its legal seat in Rome and headquarters in Erba, Italy. The organization is governed by a Vorstand chaired by Dr. Albin Lintner MBA, with Mag. Elisabeth Thonet as deputy chair, Mag. Eva Vielnascher as treasurer, DI Johannes Cech as secretary, Leopold Scheibreithner as additional member, and Br. Peter Ackermann Sam. FLUHM as program director. Its mission is to provide continuous Catholic programming including daily Holy Mass transmissions, rosary, catechesis, spiritual guidance, and prayer support to the Austrian Catholic community.

The station's product surface spans a multi-channel broadcast infrastructure: DAB+ digital radio operating across five distinct Austrian frequency areas (covering over 80% of the population), UKW/FM analog frequencies in nearly every Austrian region, pan-European ASTRA 19.2°E satellite, DVB-T2 (simpliTV, discontinuing end of 2025), cable TV networks, internet streaming via stream.radiomaria.at, dedicated iOS/Android apps, Alexa voice integration, and a Radiothek on-demand library with 40+ program series. Hardware products include an exclusive branded DAB+/UKW radio (Muttergottes Radio) with a dedicated station button. Distribution channels are complemented by event-based outreach through mobile broadcast studios at Catholic gatherings such as Lange Nacht der Kirchen, Jungfamilientreffen, and the Medjugorje youth festival.

The business model is entirely donation-funded (spendenfinanziert) and advertisement-free (werbefrei), with no external investors or venture capital. Revenue streams include voluntary listener donations, recurring Missions-Abo subscriptions via SEPA direct debit, testamentary bequests, merchandise sales through the Gabentisch (gift shop) ranging from €1 promotional items to €95 internet radios, and a quarterly printed Programmheft distributed to approximately 65,000 households. Commercial and strategic relationships span Austrian dioceses (Diözese St. Pölten), religious orders (Heiligenkreuz Abbey, Graz Carmelite monastery), youth and family ministries (KISI, ICF), Christian publishers (SCM-Verlag, Gerth Medien), and industry associations (VÖP, Verein Digitalradio Österreich). No revenue figures, headcount, or funding rounds are publicly disclosed.

Name

Radio Maria Österreich

Legal name

Radio Maria Österreich

Website

https://radiomaria.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Radio Maria Österreich is a donation-funded, advertisement-free Austrian non-profit Catholic radio broadcaster, operating multi-platform programming via DAB+, FM, satellite, internet, and apps to serve the Austrian Catholic community with liturgy, catechesis, and prayer content.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Catholic Broadcasting (MPABALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Religious Radio Broadcasting (MPAIAEAF), Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms (MPAIADAJ), Religious/Faith-Based Radio Networks (MPABABAC)

Keywords

• Catholic radio broadcasting
• Religious audio content
• Digital radio programming
• Catholic podcast library
• Spiritual media ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Straße

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Listener Donations/Spenden: Radio Maria is primarily funded through voluntary donations from its listener community. The station explicitly states it is spendenfinanziert (donation-funded) and werbefrei (advertisement-free), operating as a non-profit charitable association.
2. Missions-Abo (Recurring Subscription): Monthly recurring donation program allowing supporters to contribute regularly via SEPA direct debit mandate.
3. Merchandise Sales (Gabentisch): Sale of branded merchandise including radios (€30-€95), religious books and catechisms (€3-€21), CDs (€5-€15), promotional items (€1-€50), and religious articles. Shipping costs €6.90 for DE/AT, €3-10 for EU.
4. Testamentary Bequests: Station promotes planned giving and testamentary donations, encouraging supporters to include Radio Maria in their wills to ensure continued mission.
5. Program Guide Sales: Quarterly program guide (Programmheft) with circulation of approximately 65,000 copies (2022 data) distributed to listeners for free or voluntary contribution.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Radio Maria Österreich produces and broadcasts daily live Catholic programming — Holy Mass, rosary, catechesis, life guidance, and prayer — over a multi-platform delivery network that includes DAB+ digital radio (covering over 80% of Austria), UKW/FM frequencies, ASTRA satellite, cable TV, internet streaming, mobile apps, and Amazon Alexa. The station complements its live broadcast with an on-demand Radiothek audio archive spanning 40+ program series, and sells branded DAB+/UKW radios plus religious merchandise via its listener service.

Product overview

Radio Maria Österreich operates as a Catholic radio broadcaster offering multi-platform audio content delivery. The core offering is free-to-air radio programming available via DAB+ (covering over 80% of Austria), FM/UKW frequencies, satellite (Astra), cable, and internet livestream. Digital products include mobile apps (Radio Maria Österreich App and RM Play App for worldwide access), Alexa voice integration, and an on-demand Radiothek library with over 40 program series. Hardware products include branded DAB+/UKW radios sold through the Gabentisch (gift shop). The organization is structured as a non-profit charitable association financed by listener donations with no advertising.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DAB+ / UKW Radio Broadcasting
• Internet Livestream
• Radiothek (Audio-on-Demand Library)
• Holy Mass Transmissions
• Live Call-in Program (Live-Sendungs-Telefon)
• Radio Maria Österreich App (iOS / Android)
• RM Play App (iOS / Android)
• Amazon Alexa Voice Integration
• SAT / ASTRA Digital Satellite Broadcasting
• Muttergottes-Radio DAB+/UKW (Branded Hardware)
• Gabentisch Listener Service Store (Radios, Books, CDs, Merchandise)

Quantifiable outcome

• DAB+ coverage reaching over 80% of Austrian population
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Diözese St. PöltenmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Partnership for live event coverage and content collaboration. Hosted the 'Ja zum Leben sagen!' (Say Yes to Life) event on June 1, 2026, which was broadcast live on Radio Maria. Approximately 100 participants attended the life protection themed event.
• World Family of Radio MariacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRadio Maria Österreich is part of the World Family of Radio Maria, a global network of Catholic radio stations. Legal seat: Via Rusticucci, 13 – 00193 Rome. Headquarters: Via Valassina, 40 – 22036 ERBA (CO), Italy. The network coordinates programming, shares resources, and maintains Catholic mission alignment across countries.
• KISI (Kids for Jesus)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKISI provides weekly children's programming and songs for Radio Maria. KISI also holds summer festivals (e.g., August 14-16, 2026 in Altmünster) that Radio Maria covers and promotes. Featured as CD of the Month producer with album 'Geliebt, gewollt und fröhlich'.
• Wirtschaftskammer Wien - Fachgruppe Telekommunikations- und RundfunkunternehmungenminorOthersMembership organization for telecommunications and broadcasting enterprises in Vienna.
• Verband der Österreichischen Privatradios (VÖP)minorOthersTrade association representing Austrian private radio broadcasters. Radio Maria is a member.
• Verein Digitalradio ÖsterreichminorOthersAssociation promoting DAB+ digital radio in Austria. Radio Maria participates in digital radio expansion.
• SCM-Verlag (Hänssler SCM)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChristian music publisher whose catalog (worship, CCM albums) is featured in Radio Maria's Music&More section. Albums are promoted on-air with links to publisher's online shop.
• Gerth MedienminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChristian publishing house whose books and music albums are featured in Radio Maria's Music&More section with online shop links.
• ICF (Innovative Christian Fellowship)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristian fellowship organization. Collaboration mentioned in specific programming such as the Lebenshilfe episode on grandparents featuring ICF.
• Various Austrian Dioceses and Religious OrdersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration with Austrian Catholic dioceses and religious communities for Holy Mass broadcasts, program content, and live event coverage. Examples include Diocese of St. Pölten, Heiligenkreuz Cistercian Abbey (Holy Mass transmissions), Graz Carmelite monastery, and others.
• Kommunikationsbehörde AustriaminorOthersAustrian communications regulatory authority overseeing broadcasting. Listed as supervisory authority in impressum.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Domradio: Catholic radio broadcaster based in Cologne, Germany, distributing Catholic programming via DAB+, FM, and digital channels with a comparable mission and donation-driven ethos — serves a different national market but operates an analogous religious radio model.

Direct peers

• EWTN Global Catholic Network: Largest Catholic media network globally, operating Catholic radio, TV, and digital platforms with donation-funded programming — directly comparable in mission alignment, multi-platform distribution, and listener-donor support model.
• ERF Medien: Germany-based Christian media organization operating radio (ERF Radio), TV, and digital channels with a donation-funded model and ecumenical Christian positioning — comparable as a DACH-region faith broadcaster with multi-platform distribution.
• Bibel TV: German Christian broadcasting channel available via satellite, cable, and online with donation-funded operations — comparable as a German-language faith broadcaster using the same multi-channel distribution mix and audience development approach.
• Hope Channel: International Christian media network with German-speaking operations, donation-supported, distributing faith content via satellite, cable, and digital platforms — comparable in mission-driven, multi-platform Christian broadcasting in DACH.
• Radio Horeb: German-language Catholic radio broadcaster operating on DAB+, satellite, and online, donation-funded and explicitly aligned with the Roman Catholic Church — the closest direct analog in the German-speaking market to Radio Maria Österreich.

Broad incumbents

• ORF (Österreichischer Rundfunk): Austria's national public broadcaster, operating ORF Radio and television channels nationwide with significantly larger scale, budget, and audience — provides the dominant broadcast context against which Radio Maria Österreich competes for ear-share in Austria.
• Vatican Radio / Vatican News: The Vatican's official broadcaster, operating Catholic radio and digital news platforms worldwide with far greater scale and global reach; comparable mission and content but operates as an institution of the Holy See rather than a community-funded national association.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/radiomaria_at
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@radio_maria_oesterreich/streams
• Facebookfacebook.com/radiomariaat
• Instagraminstagram.com/radiomaria.at

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Radio Maria Österreich