Gannett announced Wednesday it’ll also hire a reporter dedicated to covering Beyonce. The company says it’s looking for a writer who is “capable of a text and video-forward approach, who can capture Beyonce Knowles-Carter’s effect not only on the many industries in which she operates, but also on society.”
Online criticism of these new roles come in part because of major layoffs at Gannett, where the workforce has shrunk 47 per cent in the last three years due to layoffs and attrition, according to the NewsGuild. At some newspapers, the union said the headcount has fallen by as much as 90 per cent. Last year alone, Gannett cut about 6 per cent of its roughly 3,440-person US media division.
Some journalists criticized the listings for presenting superfan behaviour as a full-time journalism job, especially as job opportunities shrink and music journalists are paid low wages. And that’s compounded by the existential crises of the job, which is beholden to music streaming, algorithms and clicks.
Both of the Gannett positions require five years of journalism experience working in a digital-first newsroom and the ability to travel internationally. The hourly rates for these roles is listed in a range of US$21.63 (S$29.40) and US$50.87.
Omise’eke Tinsley, academic and author of Beyonce In Formation: Remixing Black Feminism, says this type of role makes space for more positive stories about Black women.
Source: CNA
