The digital traces of Verhaberung

Political scandals and the (hidden) networks of politicians and journalists in Austria

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the historical and contemporary, sometimes scandalous, relations between Austrian chancellors and the media, with a particular emphasis on the digital and analogue networks shaping political communication from 1945 to 2025. Using a historical-comparative approach, we analysed the media interactions of all 20 Austrian chancellors, highlighting the evolution from personal, analogue contacts to digitally mediated networks. The study situates recent scandals surrounding former chancellor Sebastian Kurz within this broader context, illustrating how private digital communications and public social media engagement have transformed media-politics dynamics. The Austrian concept of Verhaberung, denoting the entanglement of political elites and media actors, is revisited in light of these developments. Based on a media historical adaption of mediatization theory, we try to demonstrate the advantages and challenges of communication network research through the growing visibility and complexity of media influence on political leadership and vice versa. These first insights underscore the need for communication-historical reassessments to safeguard journalistic independence in Austria’s increasingly digitized political landscape.