The First-Ever 'Taylor Swift Reporter' Has Been Hired Journalist Bryan West beat out hundreds of applicants for the inaugural position.
By Emily Rella
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Has the ultimate Swiftie been crowned?
The Tennessean and USA Today announced on Monday that it had selected seasoned journalist Bryan West to serve as the world's first-ever Taylor Swift reporter.
The 35-year-old was selected from hundreds of applicants vying for the position that was first announced in September.
The job listing called for an "energetic writer, photographer and social media pro who can quench an undeniable thirst for all things Taylor Swift with a steady stream of content across multiple platforms."
West seems to fit the bill.
@bryanwesttv @Taylor Swift ♬ original sound - bryanwesttv
West is a Northwestern graduate and two-time Emmy-award-winning producer. He was also awarded the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award for investigative journalism in 2014.
Most recently, he was working for an NBC affiliate in Phoenix, shooting and reporting his own interviews, something he feels made him an ideal candidate for this position.
"I have been a fan-slash-expert of Taylor even when she was canceled during Reputation," West told the outlet. "It almost feels like all the roads I've been on are merging for this position."
West will cover the next international leg of Swift's The Eras Tour with a view from behind the scenes as well as report on Swift's influence on the music industry and business world at large. Of course, West will also be looking for Swift's signature Easter eggs.
West has already met the 12-time Grammy winner while at a meet and greet in Phoenix during the singer's "Reputation" tour in 2018.
"Taylor Swift is a singular cultural force who is shaping our world in arguably unprecedented fashion," said Michael A. Anastasi, Gannett's vice president of local news and the Editor of The Tennessean. "Chronicling her story, her impact, her influence takes unique expertise and experience and we're confident Bryan is the right journalist for this moment."
West's position will be based in Nashville.
In September, Gannett (the parent company of the Tennessean and USA Today) also announced that the two outlets were looking for a Beyoncé Knowles-Carter Reporter to do the same for the superstar, reporting directly on the next leg of the musician's Renaissance World Tour.
The company has not yet announced who will be assuming that role.
