John Ritchie (3 February 1778 – 21 December 1870) was a Scottish newspaper owner.He was born at Kirkcaldy, Fife, and at an early age went in service to a small farmer near Largo. Later he returned to Kirkcaldy, working as a hand-loom weaver. In around 1800 he moved to Edinburgh (where his younger brother William was training in the law), and established himself as a draper. In 1816 he helped to finance his brother's new venture, The Scotsman newspaper. In 1842, Ritchie's great-nephew John Ritchie Findlay came to live with Ritchie, and entered the business.