Want to work as a Taylor Swift reporter?

Don't everyone jump at once! [READER]( The Daily Reader September 13, 2023 On Tuesday, Gannett posted a job for one of the newspapers included in its USA Today network, The Tennessean, with [a peculiar beat: Taylor Swift](. Gannett oversees the single largest portfolio of newspapers in the U.S. and [has a reputation of undervaluing its journalists](. I’m used to reading about [layoffs at Gannett papers]( and I’m accustomed to arts and culture jobs disappearing across the country due to attrition. I find it fascinating that a news organization that’s not known for investing in journalism is hiring for a role dedicated to following a single artist. Yes, Taylor Swift’s recent Eras Tour [has generated billions of dollars](. This is notable enough that people with no grasp of music know it’s important to cover Taylor Swift. She’s a cottage industry. She’s also not the only musician who records and performs. I suspect I’ll spend a lot of time thinking about what Gannett is sacrificing in order to focus on a single tentpole artist. Is it important that the single largest newspaper organization dedicate reporting funding to Taylor Swift? Certainly. But what is the cost of making that a single job? The Tennessean operates out of Nashville, an internationally renowned music town; how will this affect the newspaper’s ability to report on the rest of the city’s music scenes? And what do people in towns whose newspapers suffer from malnourishment because of Gannett ownership get in the event that the little music news they’ll receive will be about a Taylor Swift tour that doesn’t stop in their town? Sincerely, “[Hip-Hop’s Fiercest Critic]( by Spencer Kornhaber (The Atlantic) “[The Oral History of Das Racist’s ‘Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell]( by Nitish Pahwa (Slate) “[The Enduring, Long-Distance Legacy of the Postal Service’s ‘Give Up,’]( by Grant Sharples (The Ringer) Deeper, [Careful!]( Kalyn Harewood, [Blooming]( Blinker, [Fun for a Year]( 🍎 Leor’s “[Ready for Rosh Hashanah 2023]( playlist [House veteran Craig Loftis needs help to keep the music going at the Lodge]( Plus: Elastic Arts presents the local half of a musical exchange with Mexico City, No Part of It reissues live WZRD noise collages released in the 80s by Panic Records & Tapes, and more. by [J.R. Nelson]( and [Leor Galil]( | [Read more]( → [The Impromptu Fest celebrates classical music’s fringe with its most ambitious year yet]( by [Hannah Edgar]( | [Read more]( → [Experimental musicians Bill Nace and Haley Fohr team up for two nights at the Hungry Brain]( by [Steve Krakow]( | [Read more]( → [After ten years in action, the Chris Speed Trio gets to the gist]( by [Bill Meyer]( | [Read more]( → The UnGala lineup is here! Next month's UnGala is going to be a night to remember! With appearances and performances by: Sparklmami | The Trenchies | Yanna Cello DJ IGGY | RTST | Alyssa Low | Rockstar EV The Body Confident Queens | Blesstonio Lady D | NOTAPLANTSHOP …and more soon to be announced! [GET YOUR UNGALA TICKETS]( [Issue of Sept. 7 – 20, 2023 Vol. 52, No 24]( [VIEW / DOWNLOAD ISSUE [PDF]]( [Donate to become a member]( [View this e-mail as a web page]( [@chicago_reader]( [/chicagoreader]( [@chicago_reader]( [Chicago Reader on LinkedIn]( [/chicagoreader]( [chicagoreader.com]( [Forward this e-mail to a friend](. Want to change how you receive these e-mails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. Copyright © 2023 Chicago Reader, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Chicago Reader, 2930 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 102, Chicago, IL 60616