This interview originally appeared in the Tuesday, June 2 issue of La Fronde.
Thanks to Emily Sweeney, I probably know more about what's going on in Boston than I do in my own city, more than 200 miles away. Before Emily started appearing all over my social feed, she was a local news and crime reporter at the Boston Globe, where she's worked for more than 20 years. But it was this video posted on the Globe's TikTok account in March, recounting the wild tale of a robbery at an $18 million Massachusetts mansion, that put her—and her Boston accent—on the map. And now, the journalist with the crispest tracksuit collection in the business has a new job in the newsroom: social video journalist. I briefly caught up with Emily about the role and adjusting to all the newfound fame.
Congratulations on your new position at the Globe! Can you share more about what people can expect from you as the newsroom's social video journalist?
Thank you! In this new role I appear in videos on the Globe's website and on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Some of the videos originate from my own reporting, while others feature man-on-the-street interviews or collaborations with other reporters. One of my favorite videos so far was getting to skate with Boston Fleet forward Jill Saulnier at the Fleet's practice facility. My colleague Maria Pemberton shot that one from the bench while Jenna Perlman put on skates and followed us around with a camera on the ice. That was so much fun. And on a more serious note....we plan to launch a series of videos about unsolved murders soon, which I'm really excited about.
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How has your life changed after your videos went viral? What is the hardest part of adjusting to all the attention?
I think it's funny when people recognize me in the street. I often hear, "Hey, you're that person from the news!" or "hey, aren't you with the Boston Globe?" Sometimes they'll ask to take a selfie with me, and I'm always more than happy to. Honestly, it just makes me so happy to see people interested in the news and interested in journalism. And the fact that I get to help spread the word about the great journalism we're doing at the Globe...this new job I have is really a dream come true.
What Boston story is not getting enough attention right now but should?
Ooh. That's a tough question. I've always thought women's sports — not just in Boston, but in general — deserve more attention. At the Globe we're lucky because we have Emma Healy, who's dedicated to covering the Boston Fleet, Boston Legacy FC, and other women's sports.
And finally, where do you get all your amazing tracksuits, and how many do you own?
I usually buy my track jackets on eBay, and I'm not sure exactly how many I own. I haven't counted them....but it's a lot. My goal has been to wear a different one each day we're filming. So needless to say, my collection has been growing. The other day, the Globe's business editor, Greg Huang, brought in his University of Illinois jacket for me to wear in a video. As I exhaust my supply of fresh jackets to wear, I'm hoping other generous track jacket owners like Greg will let me borrow theirs so I can keep my streak alive, showcasing a different jacket in every video.