The craft beer industry is booming in Arizona, but you’d hardly know it from the scant, and often erroneous, attention it typically gets from the Arizona Republic.
That may be about to change.
Like other newspapers in the Gannett chain, the Republic is undergoing a newsroom restructuring. Besides an expected layoff of another 15% of its staff, the paper is requiring all staffers to “re-apply” for jobs.
(Not their present jobs, but rather a series of newly created positions with some roll-your-eyes titles such as “audience analyst” or “community connector.”)
At the Indianapolis Star – like the Republic, one of Gannett’s largest papers – the reorganization started a month ago, and one of the new staff positions that’s been created is “beverage reporter.”
The reporter who got the job says her assignment is covering “Indiana beer, wine, coffee & more.”
Based on how Gannett papers often move in lockstep, don’t be surprised to see the Republic create the same position.
