Nov 6, 2023 - Economy & Business

Tennessean and USA Today hire "standout" Taylor Swift reporter

Rebecca Falconer

Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift performs during her Eras Tour in Inglewood, California, in August. Photo: Michael Tran/AFP via Getty Images

Gannett's new Taylor Swift reporter was announced Monday by its outlets the Tennessean and USA Today.

The big picture: Veteran journalist Bryan West, a two-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer and "passionate Swiftie," was the "standout choice from a pool of hundreds of applicants" in the nationwide job search that went viral when it was announced earlier this year, per the outlets.

The Tennessean and USA Today also announced in September they were searching for a reporter to cover Beyoncé news. There was no immediate announcement on this, though a LinkedIn post for the job states it's no longer accepting applications.

Of note: The job postings prompted criticism from some reporters who felt they were a poor use of resources amid layoffs in local news.

A spokesperson for Gannett told Axios Nashville's Adam Tamburin in September that it had hired 260 journalists since March and had over 100 open positions.

Go deeper: Taylor Swift is having one of the biggest years in pop history

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Tennessean and USA Today hire "standout" Taylor Swift reporter

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