Ken Reid (journalist)

Kenneth Reid (23 June 1955 – 19 November 2024) was a Northern Irish journalist. He retired from his position as political editor at UTV on 31 March 2021. He was succeeded by Tracey Magee.^[1][2]

Ken Reid
Born	Kenneth Reid (1955-06-23)23 June 1955 Belfast, Northern Ireland
Died	19 November 2024(2024-11-19) (aged 69)
Alma mater	Methodist College Belfast University of Hull
Occupation	Journalist
Years active	1977–2021

Career

Reid was born in Belfast on 23 June 1955.^[3] His career as a journalist began at News Letter in 1977, where he remained for seven years.^[1] This was followed by stints as the sports editor, and later editor, of the Sunday News from 1984 to 1987, and reporting for the Cork Examiner from 1987 to 1994.^[1]

Reid joined UTV in 1994.^[1] He was one of two journalists at the station believed to have not been considered for a voluntary redundancy package at the station in late 2008.^[4] Reid blogged on UTV's website on political affairs in Northern Ireland from May 2008.^[5]

Personal life and death

Reid studied at Methodist College Belfast and the University of Hull, becoming involved with the student newspaper at the latter institution.^[1] He was married and had three children.^[1]

Reid was a fan of Cliftonville, Everton and Ballymena.

In 2017, he revealed he had been diagnosed with a form of leukaemia.^[6]

Reid died aged 69, on 19 November 2024.^[7]

Honours

Reid received the honour of News Broadcaster of the Year at the CIPR Press and Broadcast Awards in 2005^[8] and 2006.^[9]

In January 2024, he was awarded a Queen's University Belfast Chancellor's Medal alongside Stephen Grimason.^[10]