John Hamilton Ryley (born 21 December 1961) is a British media executive, and the former head of

Sky News Sky News is a British free-to-air television news channel, live stream news network and news organisation. Sky News is distributed via an English-language radio news service, and through online channels. It is owned by Sky Group, a division of ...

Early life

He grew up in East Sussex. He went to

Eastbourne College Eastbourne College is a co-educational Private schools in the United Kingdom, fee-charging school in the English Public school (United Kingdom), public school tradition, for boarding school, boarding and Day school, day pupils aged 13–18, in ...

. He attended

Durham University Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament (UK), Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by r ...

( Hild & Bede) from 1981 to 1984, studying Latin, English and Russian Studies. He planned on becoming a barrister. He later attended the

Wharton School of Business The Wharton School ( ) is the business school of the University of Pennsylvania, a private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia. Established in 1881 through a donation from Joseph Wharton, a co-founder of Bethlehem Steel, the Wharton ...

in 2006.

Career

He was a radio journalist from 1985 to 1987 at Invicta FM in Kent. His BBC career began as a graduate news trainee in 1987, subsequently working on the BBC's Nine O'Clock News and went on to programme edit ITV's News at Ten. He started at Sky News as executive producer in 1995, moving on to being executive editor and became Head of Sky News in 2006. The UK Press Gazette described him as "The most talented news executive of his generation". In 2009 he launched a successful campaign for Britain's first live televised leaders' debates in the run-up to the 2010 UK general election. " Ryley has changed elections for all our lifetimes," wrote the former Guardian editor Peter Preston. John was recognised by the British television industry with Broadcasts' Individual Achievement Award in 2010. John also played a critical role in the successful campaign for camera's to be introduced into courts in England and Wales, arguing the jury system won't survive if the public are unaware of the way courts work. In 2021 John was given the Royal Television Society's Outstanding Contribution award for journalism. The judges said," He has effected genuine change in our business...his style is innovative, idiosyncratic. His integrity, influence, and authority colossal. He is a Fellow of The Royal Television Society, a Trustee for the National Council for the Training of Journalists, and a former Trustee of The Media Trust, the UK's leading communications charity. He is the chair-elect of the Geddes Trust, set up to encourage high quality journalism in students at Oxford University. Ryley was appointed

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(OBE) in the

2024 New Year Honours The 2024 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 15 Commonwealth realms to Orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms, various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Hono ...

for services to journalism.

Personal life

He married Harriet Constable in 1987 and they have one son and two daughters. He lives in

Witney Witney is a market town on the River Windrush in West Oxfordshire in the county of Oxfordshire, England. It is west of Oxford. History The Toponymy, place-name "Witney" is derived from the Old English for "Witta's island". The earliest kno ...

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

. His wife (now deceased) was a former reporter for Central South.

References

External links

Speakers for Schools
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ryley, John 1961 births Alumni of the College of St Hild and St Bede, Durham People educated at Eastbourne College People from Chelmsford People from Witney Sky News Wharton School alumni Living people Officers of the Order of the British Empire