Emyle Watkins
Multimedia ReporterEmyle Watkins is an award-winning multimedia investigative journalist with experience in newspapers, TV, and radio. Emyle is currently BTPM’s Disability Reporter and hosts the station's weekly Disabilities Beat segment. Their work has appeared on NPR’s All Things Considered, UpFirst and Morning Edition. Watkins has also appeared on the BBC World News and BBC 5Live during breaking news.
Outside of their work as a reporter, Emyle authored the Global Investigative Journalism Network’s Guide to Investigating Disability Issues and serves on Investigative Reporters and Editors' LGBTQ+ membership committee.
Emyle provides free and low-cost workshops to colleges, journalists, and organizations on improving coverage of people with disabilities and disability representation in newsrooms. Emyle's passion for disability reporting comes from their lived experience as a disabled and neurodivergent person who grew up with a stay-at-home disabled parent.
Buffalo-born and raised a short drive from the city, Emyle (pronounced like Emily, despite the spelling) got their bachelor's degrees in Multimedia Journalism and Digital Media Arts at Canisius University.
Emyle’s journalism career began at the early age of 16, when they became the primary sports reporter/photographer for their hometown newspaper, The Springville Journal. Since then, they have also freelanced or had work published in other newspapers, including The Buffalo News, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and The Public.
While Emyle started as a sports journalist, early on in college, they realized they wanted to pursue investigative journalism as a way to make a difference for communities and hold those in power accountable.
In college, Emyle quickly moved into an editorial position at The Canisius Griffin and served as the managing editor there, leading the investigative team, often looking into finances and covering student government/college administration. Emyle also redesigned the newspaper’s website and print product to be more accessible to readers with visual disabilities.
As part of Canisius’ Video Institute, Emyle co-produced and was the reporter for the documentary “NewBorn: Maternal Resources in New York State,” which won a Telly Award in 2020. While on a fellowship at The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, they won a Pennsylvania Golden Quill by co-writing “There are Black people in the future,” a series of artist profiles.
Emyle interned at BTPM in 2020. Before joining BTPM, Emyle was an associate producer on the digital and investigative teams at WGRZ-TV (Channel 2). At WGRZ, Emyle helped develop stories on such topics as unsolved shootings in Buffalo and how over 900 graves were lost in a Cheektowaga cemetery.
Follow @EmyleWatkins.
Email Emyle at ewatkins@btpm.org
Desk (call only): 716-845-7000, ext 233
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In April, PPL's then-president said there were no communications with the state before the budget. However, that executive was included on an email discussing meeting with the state on before the budget was announced. -
Federal level recommendations for newborn hepatitis B vaccination may be changing. How will this impact New Yorkers? -
A University at Buffalo student who allegedly threatened to carry out a school shooting may be under an interim suspension, according to UB policy. -
The Erie County Executive, County Office for People with Disabilities Executive Director and several local disability organizations have publicly denounced President Trump’s use of a slur last week. -
Last week, President Trump used the word "retarded" in a post. He's not the only elected official to use the slur. Is this alienating disabled voters and their families? -
This weekend marks 15 years of Small Business Saturday, an annual event in the United States where consumers are encouraged to visit local small shops to buy their holiday gifts. -
On Monday morning in Erie County Supreme Court, both parties agreed to have University at Buffalo student Jacob Cassidy remain under a Red Flag order for six months. The order prevents him from possessing guns. -
Firearms have been removed from the home of a University at Buffalo student who allegedly threatened to "shoot up the school," according to the university and state court filings. -
In U.S. Immigration Court Thursday morning, Gary Kabeya, a 24-year-old asylum seeker from the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been granted release on $7,500 bond. -
Recent public statements by federal sources and “influencer” culture have contributed to confusion and fear around vaccines, and Tylenol use during pregnancy. Join local experts and advocates for a virtual discussion of these recent statements about autism. Make informed decisions based on science and lived experience, not speculation.
