As a journalist Townshend has written for The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Observer, The Times and The Independent, about a broad range of subjects, often environmental, ranging from the English landscape and long-distance walking to conceptual art. She has also written about sport, profiled public figures such as scientist Richard Dawkins, and often reviews for the Independent’s books pages. She has written strongly in support of using public funds to preserve significant archive material in the history of British pop music.