New Director at Reuters Institute

26 Sep 2008

Former BBC journalist and head of policy is new Director at Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.Dr David Levy, journalist, academic and former Controller of Public Policy at the BBC, is the new Director of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ) at Oxford University. Dr Levy has been responsible for the BBC’s Public Policy, Public Affairs and European policy teams, and for developing the policy for the BBC's Charter Review in 2006. His areas of expertise include public service reform, the impact of digital technology, media ownership and regulation in the UK and Europe. Already an Associate Fellow in Media Communications at the Saïd Business School at Oxford University, Dr Levy will continue in that role. He has been running a series of seminars at the School on how policymakers, regulators and academia can together tackle the regulatory, business and strategic challenges faced in the media. Dr Levy's breadth of experience and skills led him to become a consultant working in the areas of media policy and strategy, and public service reform. He was the sole foreign member of a commission set up to review the future of the French public service broadcaster, France Télévisions. He also recently co-edited a book for the RISJ, commissioned by Ofcom, on the future of plurality in public service broadcasting. Starting his BBC career as a journalist at BBC World Service, he then moved to BBC News where he worked as TV and radio reporter, producer and programme editor. He was a reporter on the current affairs radio programme 'File on 4' and BBC 2 'Newsnight' programme, and edited 'Analysis' a public policy programme on BBC Radio 4. The Thomson Reuters Foundation is the core funder of the Reuters Institute, based in the Department of Politics and International Relations. The Institute was launched in November 2006 and developed from the Reuters Fellowship Programme, established at Oxford 25 years ago. The Institute, an international research centre in the comparative study of journalism, aims to be global in its perspective and provides a leading forum for scholars from a wide range of disciplines to engage with journalists from around the world. Commenting on his appointment, Dr Levy said: 'I am delighted to be taking over as Director of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and hope to use my background as a journalist, an academic and a media policy expert to build on the strengths of the team and deliver new insights over the coming years. With rapid change affecting the whole global media industry, the Institute's unique mission to create links between scholars and practitioners from around the world is more relevant than ever before.' The Chief Executive of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, Monique Villa, said: 'The Thomson Reuters Foundation is wholly committed to the development of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and we are delighted that Dr Levy has been appointed as its Director. He brings with him firsthand journalistic knowledge and a thorough understanding of the dynamics of the media industry. Dr Levy will be pivotal in ensuring the continued success of the Institute as it looks to evaluate the ongoing challenges faced by the world of journalism in the 21st century.' The Chair of the RISJ Steering Committee, Tim Gardam, said: 'David Levy has the ideal qualifications to lead the Reuters Institute. He is both an academic and a journalist and is recognised as an international authority on public service broadcasting. His impact will be felt both in Oxford and in the wider public policy debate on the future of journalism.' The Head of the Department of Politics and International Relations, Professor Neil MacFarlane, said: 'Dr Levy has not only worked at the forefront of media policy both in the UK and globally, but also has extensive experience as a journalist. Dr Levy will be able to draw on his wide range of experience to bridge both the practitioner and scholarly worlds and speak to both communities in his new role as Director.' Notes for Editors: For more information about the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, click http://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk Dr David Levy holds degrees from the Universities of York, LSE and a doctorate in 20th century French history from Nuffield College, Oxford. His publications include the book 'Europe's Digital Revolution, published by Routledge in 2001 – a study of the interactions between European institutions and national broadcasting policy in Germany, France and the UK. The (RISJ) Institute’s current research projects include: studies of the internet in Russia; the ‘anti-hegemonic’ 24-hour TV news channels (such as Al-Jazeera English and the Venezualan Telesur channel) which challenge the market leaders, the redirection of news resources; the nature of trust in the media and politics; where the line is drawn in journalism between investigation and intrusion; and a comparative study in models of journalism across Europe. John Lloyd is Director of Journalism at the Institute. Thomson Reuters is the world-leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. They combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision-makers in the financial, legal, tax and accounting, scientific, healthcare and media markets, powered by the world’s most trusted news organisation. 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