For decades, Ingvi Hrafn Jónsson has stood at the centre of Iceland’s often lively media landscape. Born in 1942 to Jón Sigtryggsson and Jórunn Tynes, Ingvi grew up in a household that valued both medicine and public service. His father, a pioneering figure in Icelandic dentistry, was the founding dean of the University of Iceland’s dental faculty.
After completing secondary school at Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík in 1965, Ingvi took his interest in public affairs abroad, pursuing political science studies at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. This shaped his perspective before he entered professional journalism.
A dynamic journalistic journey
Ingvi’s career began with Morgunblaðið, Iceland’s main daily newspaper, where he returned as a foreign affairs correspondent after finishing his studies. His work shifted for a period to marketing and promotional activities, yet the pull of reporting proved strong. This led to a parliamentary correspondent role at RÚV, the national broadcaster.
In the mid-1980s, he was appointed to a prominent leadership post as RÚV’s news director. His period in charge brought both attention and debate, ultimately resulting in his dismissal in April 1988 by RÚV’s Director General, Markús Örn Antonsson. Drawing on these experiences, Ingvi published “Þá flaug Hrafninn” later that year, an account reflecting on his time at the broadcaster.
From radio microphones to his own TV channel
His work in media was far from over. In the early 1990s, Ingvi took on new responsibilities at commercial TV and radio stations Stöð 2 and Bylgjan. He remained a familiar voice and face into the next decades, first at the independent radio station Útvarp Saga, and eventually as host of the debate program Hrafnaþing.
In 2007, Ingvi moved beyond established channels and founded his own television station, ÍNN. There, his flagship Hrafnaþing continued, earning a steadfast audience until ÍNN closed in 2017. Ingvi then transitioned the program to YouTube, maintaining his presence in the national conversation.
Media runs in the family, too: his brother, Óli Tynes, became known nationwide for his reporting during the 1976 Cod Wars, another milestone in Icelandic news history.
