Bryan West (journalist)
Bryan West | |
|---|---|
| Alma mater | Medill School of Journalism |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Employer | Gannett |
| Website | bryanwesttv |
Bryan West is a journalist and current dedicated Taylor Swift reporter for the newspaper company Gannett, mainly working for The Tennessean and USA Today.[1]
Career[edit]
West was educated at the Medill School of Journalism. While there, he reported for the Northwestern News Network, and interned at The Today Show and NBC News.[2] He went on to work as a broadcast news reporter and producer for eight years at local news outlets in Phoenix, Arizona; AZCentral and then 12 News.[3] In 2014, he was awarded the Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award for investigative journalism, and also won two Emmys during this time.[4][5]
Gannett Taylor Swift Reporter[edit]
West was announced as Gannett's first ever dedicated Taylor Swift reporter on November 6, 2023, with Variety breaking the news. The two-month search for the role made headlines when it began publicly on September 12,[6][7] followed by a similar request for a Beyoncé reporter.[1] Applicants had included an established White House reporter as well as several fans of Swift.[6][7] West had stated 13 reasons why he should be hired in his video application,[6] including his journalism experience, the fact that he had already met Swift through his work on the opening night of the 2018 Reputation Stadium Tour, and that he was able to report without bias, listing "It's Nice to Have a Friend", "Stay Stay Stay," and "False God" as songs he disliked.[3][8] He moved to Nashville for the job.[8]
West received criticism from fans of Swift and newspaper watchdogs; he had described himself in his Variety interview as "a fan of Taylor," leading journalists to question whether he would be unbiased in his reporting, while fans debated whether West was a big enough fan himself. Others suggested that a woman would have been better suited to the role. Chief communications officer of Gannett, Lark-Marie Antón, responded to the criticism in an email, stating that "Haters gonna hate," and that West's experience "made him the best candidate for this role."[3]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Valdez, Jonah (November 7, 2023). "That Taylor Swift reporter job has been filled by a self-proclaimed Swiftie, Bryan West". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
- ^ Wendler, Jacob (November 7, 2023). "Medill alum Bryan West hired as Gannett's Taylor Swift reporter". The Daily Northwestern. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
- ^ a b c Kircher, Madison Malone (November 8, 2023). "A Dedicated Taylor Swift Reporter Faces Swift Criticism". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
- ^ Rella, Emily (November 8, 2023). "Gannett Hires First-Ever 'Taylor Swift Reporter': Bryan West". Entrepreneur. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
- ^ Tan, Kwan Wei Kevin. "The guy who got the 'Taylor Swift reporter' job says it's no different than being a sports journalist". Business Insider. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
- ^ a b c Parkel, Inga (November 6, 2023). "How a superfan landed a job as America's first full-time Taylor Swift reporter". The Independent. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
- ^ a b Vassell, Nicole (September 13, 2023). "Taylor Swift specialist reporter is now a real job title". The Independent. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
- ^ a b Kaufman, Gil (November 7, 2023). "New Full-Time Gannett Taylor Swift Reporter: 'No Different Than Being a Sports Journalist Who's a Fan of the Home Team'". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2023.