The International Press Institute (IPI) today announced that Dr. Gerfried Sperl, former editor-in-chief of Der Standard newspaper, has been named chairperson of the IPI Austrian National Committee, a role he will take up beginning in January 2011.

Dr. Sperl began his career as a reporter in 1969 at the Kleine Zeitung. In 1982, he was made chief editor of the Südost Tagespost, a now-defunct newspaper of the ÖVP political party (Austrian People’s Party). In 1987, he joined the Kurier as its deputy editor-in-chief. By 1988, Dr. Sperl was working with Der Standard’s editor-in-chief Oscar Bronner, helping to build the newspaper into one of Austria’s most highly respected media houses. He and Bronner worked side by side as editors-in-chief of the daily until 2007.

Dr. Sperl, who still writes a regular column for Der Standard, will lead the formation of a revitalized Austrian national committee. IPI national committees are tasked with promoting and defending press freedom at home, as well as in cooperation with journalists in other countries.

“A newly formed national committee will defend the quality of media freedom in Austria, but will also attempt to expand on it,” Dr. Sperl said in a Q&A with IPI. “That’s the prerequisite to being able to competently address threats in other countries.”

“I am thrilled to have Dr. Sperl on board as the new chair of the IPI national committee in Austria,” said IPI Acting Director Alison Bethel McKenzie. “Revitalizing our Austrian committee is very important to us, not only because Vienna is our home, but also because the journalism community here has always shown itself to be a staunch defender of press freedom in this country and around the world.”

“We welcome Dr. Sperl’s experience and enthusiasm, and I look forward to working closely with him in the future,” said McKenzie.

To read a Q&A with Dr. Sperl, in English, click here. For the German translation, please click here.