Photo: AFP
First it was Taylor Swift (pic). Now it’s Beyonce.
Fresh off a job ad for a reporter to cover Swift and her Eras tour, Gannett Co has posted a second role to "chronicle the music, fashion, cultural and economic influence of Beyonce” for USA Today and The Tennessean.
In addition to inspiring delirious levels of delight in Swifties and the BeyHive - as the artistes’ die-hard fans are known - the two superstar musicians are also exerting an outsize force over the American economy.
That’s because the typical Swiftie spends US$1,500 to attend a concert, including costs for tickets, hotels, flights and food. Members of the BeyHive are estimated to spend even more during the ongoing Renaissance tour: about US$1,800 for the total experience. In all, their spree is seen having boosted third-quarter American gross domestic product by US$5.4bil.
Policy makers, economists at major banks and financial-markets commentators are all taking notice.
The two new jobs offer similar pay and benefits: They are remote, and the reporters will earn between US$21.63 and US$50.87 an hour. That’s about US$100,000 annually at the higher end of the range, based on a 40-hour work week.
Perhaps the biggest perk: The reporters will need to travel internationally as they follow the stars.
"Our role is to cover the newsmakers who Run the World, influence our society, impact lives and create positive change,” Gannett Media chief content officer Kristin Roberts said in a statement.
Prospective candidates will need to make a choice though: Swift or Beyonce. The two jobs aren’t meant to be done by a lone reporter.
"We have two positions open. One for each artiste,” a Gannett spokesperson said. – Bloomberg
