Leeds professor to deliver prestigious public lecture on class and the future of television

Professor Beth Johnson (School of Media and Communication) will deliver the prestigious annual public lecture at the University of Bristol

The invitation recognises Professor Johnson’s national and international reputation for research on class, inequality and representation in the screen industries, and her contributions to understanding the cultural and social value of television.

In her lecture, ‘What’s On? Class and the Future of Television as a Public Art’, which will take place on Thursday 13 November 2025, Professor Johnson will argue that television is not simply a mirror reflecting society but a powerful cultural force that actively shapes it, influencing how class, identity and belonging are imagined and valued.

She will explore the disparities between what audiences see on screen and what happens behind the scenes in terms of access, labour conditions and creative decision-making, asking what it might mean to treat television as a form of public art that genuinely serves the many rather than the few.

Professor Johnson said:

Television doesn’t just tell us who we are. It plays a part in making that reality. Understanding who gets to make TV, whose stories are told, and under what conditions is vital if we’re to think seriously about its future as a public art.

Full details and registration can be found here.