An editor from The Washington Post will lead Starbucks' new media venture, according to CNN Money.
Rajiv Chandrasekaran wrote the book "For Love of Country" with Howard Schultz, Starbucks' chief executive officer. The Post editor said the new media company will kick off with production of his novel into a film property.
Chandrasekaran will leave The Washington Post and relocate to Seattle to run the Starbucks company, which is headquartered in Seattle.
Calling it an "amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Chandrasekaran said on his Facebook page that he was looking forward to developing projects that communicate issues of importance to Americans.
The new media company is expected to produce nonfiction films and TV projects of "social impact," and the company has the financial clout to make the company a reality, Variety reported.
The Seattle Times pointed out that the move is yet another Seattle-based company that is making a foray into media. In 2013, Amazon Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos purchased The Washington Post.
Starbucks has a veterans hiring initiative, and Schultz has said that is a topic close to his heart. The hire is a good strategic maneuver for Starbucks, as the company regards itself as leader in projecting social impact issues.
Chandrasekaran's departure from journalism is a loss. He is a former Baghdad bureau chief for the Post and was an associate editor. However, his departure comes as no surprise in today's journalism landscape.
He is among a staggering number of reporters and editors who have left the news business in recent years. Media companies continue to consolidate operations and lay off journalists in massive numbers, resulting in a particular impact on more senior correspondents and editors, according to Poynter.
