Journalist, Radio FM4

Claus Pirschner is a presenter and editor at Radio FM4, the Austrian national public youth radio station. Pirschner focuses in particular on migration, diversity and youth topics. Radio FM4 is bilingual (English and German). It has a diverse staff, almost half of whom have a migration background. In 2010 Claus Pirschner led an internal working group at radio FM4 which examined ways of attracting more journalists with a migration background from the under-represented main migrant groups in Austria, such as those from South-Eastern Europe and Turkey. Pirschner is currently co-ordinating the implementation of these measures, which also aim to raise awareness of diversity competence among the radio staff, with regard to the company’s culture and the journalistic approaches.
In addition, he works as trainer on anti-discrimination and diversity issues.
Pirschner holds a master’s degree in political science and communication studies. He studied at the universities of Vienna, Amsterdam and Sydney. His MA thesis is titled ‘Diversity Policy in Amsterdam: Greater Empowerment or Backlash?’. It explores the competing responses of representatives of target groups (ethnic minorities, women, gays and lesbians) to the shift from minority/emancipation policy to diversity policy in Amsterdam. In 2008 Claus Pirschner completed a training as advisor in systemic managing diversity.