Lis Howell

Professor Lis Howell is Director of Broadcasting in the Journalism Department at City University London. She was Head of News at Border Television and won a Royal Television Society award for leading the coverage of the Lockerbie disaster.

MyBBC: the problem with one to one news

The BBC’s vision of a ‘personalised’ news service, allowing the user to filter bulletins according to their interests, is at odds with the corporation’s public purpose.

By Lis Howell

/ 6 Aug 2015

The Whittingdale Eight: war or wisdom for the BBC?

The government has set up an advisory panel for its review of the BBC Charter. So who will be leading this process? And how should the corporation approach the coming debate?

By Lis Howell

/ 15 Jul 2015

The BBC's imaginary crossroads

Tony Hall’s speech on March 2 was full of invented threats. This was a denial of the imminent need for change: the BBC needs rivals and the UK needs more voices.

By Lis Howell

/ 9 Mar 2015

Less velvet glove, more iron fist

The new Chair of the BBC Trust Rona Fairhead has given her first public speech which was widely reviewed. Now the dust has settled – but what did Rona say, and more importantly, what did she really mean?

By Lis Howell

/ 20 Feb 2015

To be or not to be – Diana Coyle as the next BBC Trust Chair?

Diana Coyle has the brains and clear-sightedness to be what the BBC needs next.

By Lis Howell

/ 8 Jul 2014

A tale of two Jeremys - the boys' club at the BBC

Jeremy Paxman and Jeremy Clarkson have nothing in common - apart from being from the same tiny minority of white public school educated men who dominate the BBC.

By Lis Howell

/ 5 May 2014

The lesser (and longer) decriminalisation story: avoiding the 'go to gaol' card

Lis Howell tours the horizon looking at how public (non-commercial) broadcasting is funded round the world to ask: how should we pay for the Beeb without getting a go-to-gaol card? Read the options and vote on the solution.

By Lis Howell

/ 24 Mar 2014

Over by Christmas – the non-debate that is BBC Charter renewal

Who is talking about BBC Charter renewal? Relatively few people. And it’s not too soon to start.

By Lis Howell

/ 4 Feb 2014

Tony Hall's speech didn't answer any of the real questions

The new BBC Director General gave a speech last week, in which he talked about "What Next?" - or, rather, he didn't really, says Lis Howell.

By Lis Howell

/ 16 Oct 2013

The new OurBeeb

Tony Hall, the new Director General of the BBC, has given a speech outlining his vision for the organisation he leads. Here, openDemocracy re-opens OurBeeb - a space to discuss all matters related to this vast British institution.

By Lis Howell

/ 9 Oct 2013

The insidious effects of trolling women on the TV and radio in the UK

Somehow society must come to terms with this problem and start thinking of ways to address it. It doesn't only demean the women in question, it degrades us all and cheapens the public sphere.

By Lis Howell

/ 1 Aug 2013

Forget long term strategy, the BBC needs to fix the 'now'

In the second of her 'On broadcasting' column, Lis Howell argues that the BBC urgently needs to put its house in order before turning to the big political issues of 2017. The licence fee and new technology aren’t necessarily the big issues - the real crisis is about management and the alienation o

By Lis Howell

/ 17 Jun 2013