Ryan Loew (he/him) is an award-winning multimedia journalist based in Akron, Ohio, where he works as a digital editor and photojournalist for Ideastream Public Media. There he serves as the newsroom’s primary visuals producer, coordinating with reporters and editors to make photos for a wide range of stories covering 22 counties in Northeast Ohio. He also produces videos for social media channels, edits newsletters and web stories, and coaches staff on digital best practices.

Before joining the staff at Ideastream, Ryan worked as a visual storyteller/producer for PublicSource, a nonprofit news organization that covers critical issues in the Pittsburgh region.

Ryan has also worked as a freelance video journalist, focused primarily on producing news and documentary stories in the Pittsburgh region and beyond. His work appeared on PBS “NewsHour,” WQED and other news organizations. Prior to that, Ryan served as multimedia editor at 90.5 WESA, Pittsburgh’s NPR member station, and before moving to Pittsburgh, he worked as a multimedia producer for The Roanoke Times in Virginia. Ryan began his career as a reporter at the Lansing State Journal in Michigan. The Youngstown, Ohio, native studied journalism at Kent State University.

Ryan is interested in how the micro illustrates the macro — how individuals' stories can shed light on complex news stories, social issues and communities — and believes visual journalism plays a powerful role in telling such stories.

His work has been recognized by the NATAS Mid-Atlantic Chapter four times, winning regional Emmy awards in 2018, 2019 and 2021. The Ohio SPJ chapter awarded Ryan best online still photographer in Ohio in the digital media/freelance category in 2024. He’s also been recognized by the Society for News Design, the Radio Television Digital News Association and other organizations. And in both 2020 and 2021, his former newsroom PublicSource won the award for General Excellence in Online Journalism, Micro Newsroom by the Online News Association. Ryan is a member of the National Press Photographers Association and The Video Consortium.

When he’s not working, Ryan is going on hikes and bike rides with his wife, taking care of a 100-year-old house and learning to play the drums. He is available for freelance work (photo/video/multimedia production) and loves collaborating with other journalists and documentary storytellers. Contact Ryan at loewryan@gmail.com.