Louise Boyle, left, reporting at Standing Rock Reservation in South Dakota in November 2016, during her two-week stay to report on the pipeline protests. Photo: Christopher Oquendo.
Louise Boyle earned her MA (Hons) in English Literature from Edinburgh University in 2007, where she was also an editor on the university’s newspaper. She started out as a trainee for the Daily Mail in London before spending time at The Belfast Telegraph and then the Irish Daily Mail in Dublin where she was an editor in the features department. Boyle moved to New York in 2011, soon after DailyMail.com established its U.S. base. She has traveled to more than 40 U.S. states to cover stories and reported from several countries around the world.
Hometown: Gourock, Scotland.
Education: MA (Honors) in English Literature, Edinburgh University.
Languages you speak: English, French (and currently taking Spanish classes).
First job in journalism: Copy editor for the Belfast Telegraph.
Countries reported from: UK, Ireland, U.S., Canada, Honduras, Philippines, the Caribbean.
When and why did you join the OPC? I joined OPC at the start of 2018 because of the quality of the talks and events and the opportunities to network with fellow journalists.
Major challenge as a journalist:
Sometimes people have trouble with my accent on the phone.
Best journalism advice received:
Talk to everyone – you never know who can tell you key information or might have a valuable story to share. On a practical level, wear comfortable shoes – you’ll be glad of it on days which stretch into 15 hours.
Worst experience as a journalist:
Anytime I speak to a family who have lost loved ones – it’s part of the job that I have found never gets any easier.
When traveling, you like to …
Talk with local people about the area. When you’re reporting on demanding stories, it’s easy to become totally immersed but I like to learn about different cultures (and I also like to talk!).
Hardest story: Interviewing survivors of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, many of whom had also lost partners or close friends. I’ve also interviewed survivors of rape and sexual violence – I have enormous admiration for those who have the bravery to tell their stories.
Journalism heroes: Christina Lamb, Robert Fisk and AA Gill.
Advice for journalists who want to work overseas: There are no shortcuts – work hard, say yes to opportunities when they arise and be straight with people, no matter the situation.
Stories I’m most proud of:
Most recently, my articles on White House aide Rob Porter and the accusations of domestic abuse made by his two ex-wives. They were impactful and I’m always proud to report the stories of those who have suffered abuse.
Dream job: To be part of an investigative team, like Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor at The New York Times, working on ground-breaking exposés.
Favorite quote: “Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cozy, doesn’t try it on.” – Billy Connolly
Place you’re most eager to visit: Japan.
Most over-the-top assignment:
I took an assignment to write a honeymoon travel feature for a bridal magazine. I stayed in a five-star resort in beautiful Dubrovnik. One evening, we were taken by speedboat to a private island for dinner. This is far from my typical travel experience.
Most common mistake you’ve seen:
Following the pack.
Country you most want to return to: Mexico.