Becoming editor of the Bolton Free Press, he at an early period of his life took an active part in advocating social and political reforms.
Along with Bright he was one of the four original proprietors of the Manchester Examiner, his name appearing as the printer and publisher.
After the fusion of the Examiner with the Times, he became editor of the Liverpool Journal, and later of the Mercury.
He also started the Statesman, which he edited till its close, when he became editor of the Old St. James's Chronicle.
Notwithstanding his journalistic duties, he found time to contribute a number of papers on social and political topics to various reviews and magazines, in addition to which he published: Regarding his proficiency in this species of compilation, Carlyle himself testifies as follows: "I have long recognised in Mr. Ballantyne a real talent for excerpting significant passages from books, magazines, newspapers (that contain any such), and for presenting them in lucid arrangement, and in their most interesting and readable form".