In his laudatory speech, Head of Section Elmar Pichl emphasized Kaltenbrunner's role as a “formative force in the Austrian media world”. In journalism research, he had rendered outstanding services as the leading researcher of numerous FWF-Grundlagenprojekte in cooperation with the Austrian Academy of Sciences. He was also the developer and co-founder of numerous study programs, such as Vienna's first university course in journalism and media management in 2003, then the film, TV and media production course at the BFI University of Applied Sciences, as well as the development of the Vienna Forum for Journalism and Media (fjum) and its continuing education courses in 2011. Kaltenbrunner's many years of teaching and research at universities in Germany, Spain and the USA, which have made Austria's media and political science internationally visible, were also honored. “With his professional work, he has not only made an outstanding academic contribution to Austria's media landscape and to journalism, but ultimately also to the Republic of Austria,” said the laudator, explaining the high state award for Andy Kaltenbrunner.