Taylor Swift during a performance at Cincinnati for Eras Tour.
Amid the craze and frenzy around popstars Taylor Swift and Beyonce in the United States, the country's biggest newspaper chain posted two unusual job listings- a Taylor Swift reporter and a Beyonce reporter on its site, as per a report in the New York Times. Gannett, the company which owns more than 200 daily papers, stated that it was looking to hire two reporters who could capture the significance of both artists' music, their expanding legacies and the impact both have had on the music industry. The announcement came amid the outpouring support the artists received during their record-breaking tours this year.
According to the outlet, the two journalists would work for USA Today and The Tennessean. While describing the job for reporting on "Break My Soul" singer, the company said that the desirable journalist would be the one who could cover how the "international superstar and icon's impact is felt across generations," and how she has been "a force in everything from how the country views race to how women think about their partners."
"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," the company said in its job description for a reporter wishing to cover Taylor Swift.
The fan bases of women must also be covered for both positions. The reporters would be paid between $21.63 and $50.87 per hour, with the higher amount equaling a six-figure yearly pay. The reporters would need to travel abroad to cover the artists and their shows, according to the job posting.
Social media reactions
There were conflicting responses to the Taylor Swift journalist job advertisement on Tuesday, with some praising the media house for trying to reach a new audience and others criticising the firm for recent mass layoffs of local journalists.
"Do you mind giving us more journalists in Tennessee covering real life instead?" said a user.
Another user stated, "Didn't you all lay off 600 journalists last year and then ice out filling 400 more jobs? I knew you were trouble. Karma"
"Nashville is getting a Taylor Swift reporter Memphis is still without an investigative reporter," added a user.
"Sounds like paid built in PR, propaganda even," remarked a person.
Company's statement
Lark-Marie Anton, Chief Communications Officer at Gannett said in a statement to Yahoo Entertainment, "Taylor Swift and Beyonce Knowles-Carter are artists and businesswomen whose work have tremendous economic and societal significance. As Beyonce and Taylor continue to influence multiple industries and our culture, they are shaping a generation. Our role at the USA Today Network is to cover the newsmakers who impact lives across the nation in the communities we serve and provide our audience the content they crave."
Responding to the social media criticism about the job and previous layoffs, a representative of the media company told the outlet,"Since March, we have hired 225 journalists and have more than 100 more open roles which are actively being recruited for as we grow our audience."