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.

Hello James Harding, the new head of BBC News

News is the most vulnerable area for the BBC. Some advice to James Harding as he starts his job: decentralise, but don’t encourage silos. Here’s how. The first of the 'Lis Howell on Broadcasting' columns.

By Lis Howell

/ 18 Apr 2013

Jimmy Savile and why the BBC must change

The UK's Jimmy Savile scandal is hugely important. The most popular working class hero is now revealed to be a serial rapist and child-abuser. Yet he was turned into a 'national treasure' by the BBC, which of all the UK's institutions prides itself on 'knowing better'. What was going on?

By Lis Howell

/ 28 Dec 2012

OurBeeb forum session 1: funding and the licence fee

On 31 October 2012, OurBeeb held a day-forum at King’s College London to discuss the future of the BBC. Full audio and video highlights start with a discussion between David Elstein and Lis Howell on how to fund public service broadcasting.

By Anthony Barnett, David Elstein and Lis Howell

/ 4 Dec 2012

Wait! Leveson must delay his report on the UK press

Lord Justice Leveson's public inquiry into UK press standards is about to report. But the unfolding crisis shaking the BBC will muddy the waters. This is a call for delay.

By Lis Howell

/ 20 Nov 2012

How much do journalism students know about who runs the BBC?

Deputy Head of Broadcasting at City University's famous journalism school Lis Howell interrogates her postgraduate students about the DG race, and suggests that if the brightest talent in the country know and care as little as they do about it, then there's something wrong with the process

By Lis Howell

/ 19 Jun 2012

At last regional news is sexy!

British local media is in trouble, we need a much more lively and intelligent approach than just government cuts and schemes imported from the US

By Lis Howell

/ 27 Sep 2010

Women at the Public Service Broadcasting Forum

Lis Howell reflects on gender balance at the recent Public Service Broadcasting Forum

By Lis Howell

/ 15 Jun 2010