Jaime Cárdenas has started a new and expanded role as social media strategist for Gannett Local News.
The move marks a second promotion since joining the company four years ago.
In his new role, Cárdenas will help Gannett newsrooms across the country develop strategies to grow digital subscriptions and foster loyalty with readers, deemed especially important heading into the 2020 Elections. He’ll also be providing audience social media analytics and lead initiatives to identify new and creative ways to distribute the news on social media.
“I’m very humbled and honored to have been chosen for this tremendous opportunity by Gannett leadership. The role of social media in journalism has never been more important than right now and I’m looking forward to helping newsrooms increase the reach of their work,” Cárdenas tells Media Moves.
Cárdenas started at Gannett as digital strategist at The Tennessean, moving up to regional content strategy Analyst in 2018. In his most recent positions, he oversaw social media, SEO and mobile storytelling, podcast and analytics.
His prior experience includes jobs as digital editor for sports at the Southern California News Group (SCNG), sports reporter for the Los Angeles Times and worked with the LA Galaxy’s public relations division, creating content for the soccer team’s websites and social media and managing the organization’s Spanish-language media relations.
“It was during my time at SCNG that I realized that I wanted to pursue jobs as an editor, and the significance that there are not many Latino editors,” he says. “In 2016 I joined The Tennessean. A year into my role, I worked with various editors and reporters on a series about Latinos in Nashville that landed on A1.”
He also contributed to the publication of articles like “Is Mariachi the new sound of Music City” and “Selena’s time in Nashville cut short by tragic death,” reinforcing how being part of a decision-making team can make a difference in coverage.
Cárdenas grew up in Tijuana, Mexico and crossed the border everyday to take journalism classes at Southwestern Community College in Chula Vista, CA. During this time, he freelanced for various Spanish and English-language in San Diego, including Enlace and the San Diego Union-Tribune.
His first job was as a sports reporter for the Orange County Register while he was still attending Cal State Fullerton.