Ryan Denham
Content DirectorRyan is an award-winning journalist and digital strategist. He joined WGLT full-time in 2017 as Digital Content Director and became interim Content Director in 2025.
Under Ryan's leadership, WGLT.org has become the go-to destination for local news in Bloomington-Normal. WGLT has expanded its digital offerings to include multiple daily podcasts, short-form video storytelling, and award-winning photography.
Ryan has earned a National Murrow Award, a national Public Media Journalists Association award, several Regional Murrow Awards, and multiple Crystal Mic Awards from the Illinois News Broadcasters Association, among other station and team-based honors.
Ryan also serves as WGLT's internship coordinator, working closely with Illinois State University students.
Ryan started his career as a copy editor and later business and city government reporter at The Pantagraph in 2006. He later worked for WJBC radio in Bloomington and for Illinois State's University Marketing and Communications [UMC] and Web and Interactive Communications [WEB] offices.
He lives in Normal with his wife, Therese, and two children. You can contact Ryan at rmdenha@ilstu.edu or (309) 438-5426.
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Documents obtained by WGLT show Rivian trying to make its case for why its Normal properties are significantly overvalued and overtaxed. Millions of tax dollars are at risk for Unit 5 schools and other local taxing bodies. -
The top editor of Bloomington's Pantagraph newspaper was let go in an apparent cost-cutting move. Cumulus Media in Bloomington also recently gutted its news department. -
With a natural gas leak from Nicor ruled out, officials said Thursday they're still looking for the cause of a house explosion and fire in rural Bloomington that's left three people critically injured. A GoFundMe has been set up for the Hoefer family. -
Eight people were taken to the hospital early Wednesday after an apparent house explosion on Bloomington’s far western edge. It happened just before midnight at a home along Old Peoria Court. -
Unit 5 leaders say Rivian’s fight to lower its property tax bill could cost the school district as much as $6.8 million in lost revenue — uncertainty that looms over Unit 5’s budget planning. -
The Meet the Newsroom series pulls back the curtain to introduce you to the team that makes WGLT possible. The series continues with WGLT reporter and video producer Lizzie Seils. -
Three-term Normal Town Council member Kathleen Lorenz won’t seek re-election. That creates a second open seat heading into the April 6 election. -
The five people injured when a pickup truck veered onto the sidewalk in Uptown Normal and struck a building remained hospitalized Saturday, including one in critical condition.
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Five people, including pedestrians, were injured and the Children's Discovery Museum was damaged after a two-vehicle crash near Uptown Circle on Friday afternoon. -
The electric automaker Rivian confirmed Thursday it plans to add a second shift for R2 production at its Normal manufacturing plant within the next two months.
