America’s largest newspaper chain is calling on the ‘Beyhive,’ Swifties for a new job opportunity
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Calling all Swifties and members of the “Beyhive” – you may be interested in this unique job opportunity.
This week, the nation’s biggest newspaper chain posted two new pop-music-focused job listings: a Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter and a Taylor Swift reporter.
Gannett, the county’s largest newspaper circulation, which owns more than 200 daily papers, will hire the new reporters through USA Today, and The Tennessean, the company’s Nashville-based newspaper.
The chain is looking for “modern storytellers” adept in print, audio, and visual journalism, said Michael Anastasi, the Tennessean’s editor and Gannett’s vice president for local news, according to the Associated Press. Anastasi said the Tennessean already has a three-person music team, and “I put our sophisticated coverage up against anybody.” Gannett is always looking for opportunities to make itself essential for paying customers, he added.
“The international superstar and icon’s impact is felt across generations. She has been a force in everything from how the country views race to how women think about their partners. We are looking for an energetic and enterprising writer, capable of a text and video-forward approach, who can capture Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s effect not only on the many industries in which she operates but also on society,” says the company in its description of the new role.
Similarly, the company wants a journalist who can capture Taylor Swift’s effect on society and the industries in which she operates.
“Swift’s fanbase has grown to unprecedented heights, and so has the significance of her music and growing legacy. We are looking for an energetic writer, photographer, and social media pro who can quench an undeniable thirst for all things Taylor Swift with a steady stream of content across multiple platforms. Seeing both the facts and the fury, the Taylor Swift reporter will identify why the pop star’s influence only expands, what her fanbase stands for in pop culture, and the effect she has across the music and business worlds,” Gannett said.
While these new roles offer a very specific pop culture beat, which could be extremely beneficial to capture as these two stars continue to grow their stardom – these reporter positions are not free of controversy.
Critics of the new roles referenced recent layoffs at Gannett, where the workforce has decreased nearly 50% in the last three years because of layoffs and attrition, according to the NewsGuild.
In some newspapers, the union said the headcount has dropped by as much as 90%. Last year, Gannett cut about 6% of its roughly 3,440-person U.S. media division.
Journalists are also weighing in on these new roles. Kimberlee Kruesi said that while hiring these massively popular artist-specific roles reflects their influence in pop culture, they fail to invest in local journalism at a company known for its strong local publications.
Only time will tell if these positions are good investments for the newspaper chain, but until then, it’s no secret that Taylor Swift and Beyoncé’s stardom will be felt, studied, and chronicled for generations to come.