Peter Fritz
Commentator · Moderator · Author
About Peter Fritz
Dr. Peter Fritz, born 1961, in Villach/ Austria.
Studied German and History at the University of Vienna.
First journalistic experience from 1980 at the local paper „Kleine Zeitung“ in Klagenfurt, Austria, from 1982 on also at the local ORF radio/TV station.
Started in 1987 in Vienna at the domestic desk at ORF´s main news program "Zeit im Bild".
In 1990, Peter Fritz joined "Zeit im Bild"s foreign desk.
Even before, in November 1989, sent to Berlin as a special envoy for ORF, covering the fall of the Berlin Wall.
ORF special envoy in Israel during the 1991 Gulf War.
1991/ 92 correspondent at the ORF studio in Bonn, Germany.
1992/ 93 correspondent at the ORF studio in Washington, D.C.
Later editor and duty editor at "Zeit im Bild" in Vienna.
From 1998 again correspondent in Washington, D.C, advancing to bureau chief in August 2001. Main topics in these years: The Monica Lewinsky affair surrounding President Bill Clinton, the long- disputed presidential election of 2000 and the Septemer 11, 2001 terror attacks.
From 2003 Peter Fritz headed the foreign desk at "Zeit im Bild" in Vienna.
From 2007 till 2015 bureau chief at the ORF office in Berlin, Germany. From March 2015 bureau chief at ORF´s office in Brussels, Belgion, covering EU and NATO affairs.
From 2021 back in Vienna as analyst, diplomatic correspondent and Moderator on current affairs for the ORF 2 und ORF III channels.
Said goodbye to "Zeit im Bild" in 2025, but stays on as a regular contributor and commentator at the ORF III information program.
Married to the radio journalist Bea Sommersguter, two children.
Got awarded the first Hugo Portisch Prize for journalism in March 2023.
More (in German): https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Fritz_(Journalist)