Karen Bowerman is an English journalist, television presenter, filmmaker and travel writer who has worked for Sky News, ITV, CNN International and the BBC. Formerly the Consumer Correspondent for BBC 1, and the Business and Consumer Presenter for the BBC News Channel and BBC World, she is now freelance, specialising in travel, consumer stories and personal finance.
She is a presenter and film maker for the BBC's Travel Show on BBC 2 and BBC World, works for The Press Association and contributes to the Independent, the Mail on Sunday, the Express, CNN.com and National Geographic Traveller. When not on assignment she is a corporate presenter.
Education
Bowerman was an Academic Scholar at St Hugh's College, Oxford. She has an MA in Theology. After her first degree she was offered a place at Wolfson College, Oxford, to study for a PhD in Theology but had to defer for a year to try to secure funding, and has not returned to complete the degree since. During this time she began working for a local paper.
Career
After a brief spell in regional newspapers and TV, Bowerman became a BBC News Trainee, passed various law exams for journalists, and went on to report and present for BBC South West, Sky News and CNN International.
BBC News
In 2002 Bowerman was employed as a consumer correspondent for the BBC News at One, BBC News at Six and the BBC News at Ten, where she specialised in undercover filming and special investigations. In 2006, she became a presenter on business and consumer affairs for the BBC News Channel while also reporting for BBC Radio 4 and newsreading for Radio 5 Live. Bowerman was the interviewer during the interview of Guy Goma, a widely published blooper of the BBC.
Programmes
After establishing herself in News, Bowerman worked as a contributor and presenter for BBC programmes. Stints included Weekend Watchdog, Newsnight, Fast:track (now The Travel Show) on BBC 2 and the Heaven and Earth Show on BBC 1. She presented several series of BBC Northern Ireland's Watchdog, Fair Play, on BBC1, where some of her undercover investigations led to convictions.
She also conceived and co-produced Test the Nation's Morals, a live show broadcast by BBC Religion which gave birth to a national equivalent.
Films and documentaries
Since 2009 Bowerman has worked as a freelance travel reporter and film maker for the BBC's News Features department. She produces, shoots and presents her own material. Her short travel films have won several awards.
Awards
Bowerman twice won "Travel Broadcaster of the Year" in the former UK Travel Press Awards, gaining recognition for films she shot and produced herself.
Corporate work
Bowerman hosts international conferences, leads panel discussions and acts as a presenter for various corporate projects. Clients have included the UN, Mercedes, Hitachi, Danone, Swiss Re, Saga, Farnborough Air Show, the International Telecommunication Union and supermarkets.
References
- BBC World launches One Giant Leap Season, Karen Bowerman speaks to designer of lunar landscape for NASA – BBC Press Office, 22 June 2009
- Snacking rots children’s teeth: BBC Online, 23 June 2003
- Developing a thick skin – filming rhino in Namibia, Behind the International Headlines at the BBC, BBC World Agenda Magazine, 20 August 2010
- ^ Cowboy builders & rogue workmen? All in a day's work for Karen, Karen Ireland, The Belfast Telegraph, 14 November,
- Dangers of Medicine bought online – BBC Special report – BBC Press Office, 13 August 2002
- Bowerman management website