Company Overview
About The Ankler
The Ankler is an independent trade publication covering the entertainment industry — Hollywood studios, streaming platforms, talent agencies, production companies, and the business of entertainment — providing insider analysis, reported news, and commentary targeted at industry professionals. Founded in 2019 by Richard Rushfield, a veteran entertainment journalist previously at BuzzFeed and Variety, The Ankler operates on a subscription newsletter model that has built a loyal following among entertainment executives, agents, producers, and journalists who value its unfiltered perspective on industry dynamics.
Business Model & Competitive Advantage
The Ankler's content covers the strategic decisions of major studios (Disney, Warner Bros., Netflix, Amazon), the streaming wars and their economic sustainability, talent representation shifts, the impact of the 2023 writers' and actors' strikes, and the ongoing restructuring of Hollywood's business model. Rushfield's voice is distinctive — combining insider access, sharp analysis, and occasional irreverence that differentiates The Ankler from trade publications like Variety and The Hollywood Reporter that must maintain broad industry relationships.
Competitive Landscape 2025–2026
In 2025, The Ankler has expanded from Rushfield's solo newsletter to a multi-writer publication with contributors covering different industry beats, positioning itself as a premium subscription alternative to free trade publication content. The Hollywood trade publication market has seen significant disruption — parent companies of major trades have faced financial pressure, while independent newsletters with loyal paid subscribers have proven surprisingly resilient business models. The Ankler competes with Puck News, Deadline Hollywood, and the major trades for Hollywood insider readership and competes with all premium Substack newsletters for entertainment professional subscription dollars.
Recent Activity
View all →Plus: AMC vs. the streaming giants; Academy shakeup The post 100 A-Listers’ Summer Reads; A24-Google DeepMind Fears; NBCU Breakup appeared first on The Ankler .
Rats, cigarettes and reckonings: our best (so far) of 2026 The post 19 Riveting Reads for a Long Weekend appeared first on The Ankler .
The singer's quest for an Academy Award via 'Toy Story' is her latest EGOT hill to climb The post Taylor Swift: First Comes Love, Then Marriage, Then Oscar in a Disney Carriage? appeared first on The Ankler .
From ‘12 Years a Slave’ to ‘The Social Network,’ a birthday syllabus that sheds light on our nation's experiment The post America at 250, Explained in 22 Movies appeared first on The Ankler .
100 notables tell us what's in their luggage — and on their nightstands The post 🎧 The Books Hollywood Is Obsessed With This Summer appeared first on The Ankler .
In an internal email Monday, Academy CEO Bill Kramer said the exec would exit her full-time role as the org dissolves her division ahead of the 100th ceremony The post Academy Shakeup: Chief Oscars Officer Teni Melidonian Is Out appeared first on The Ankler .
‘The Odyssey’ sold out before a single review. The three ingredients that turn a filmmaker into box office IP today The post Christopher Nolan & the Short List of Directors Whose Names Open Movies appeared first on The Ankler .
Dan McDermott on a premium-for-adults strategy that works, Walking Dead plans and (scoop!) a new A24 sports show The post Anne Rice, Zombies — and Netflix? AMC’s Plan to Outlast the Streaming Giants appeared first on The Ankler .
New 'Landman' cast paydays / PSKY sends EU concessions / NETFLIX's 'Voicemails' pops The post ☀️ Hollywood Stocks Q2 Winners & Losers appeared first on The Ankler .
I got the dish from star Lindsay Hubbard, also of the spinoff ‘In The City,’ and Bravo & Peacock exec Frances Berwick on making audiences lose their minds The post ‘Summer House’ Scandal — and the Summer Reality TV Took Over appeared first on The Ankler .
Yes, the internet hates the new partnership, but the risks fall entirely on one side — and it's not about jobs The post A24, Google DeepMind and the Dangerous Business of Selling Cool appeared first on The Ankler .
A mid-year check-in on the upcoming race and the movies we'll still be talking about next March The post 🎧 ‘Project Hail Mary,’ ‘Obsession’ & the Early Oscar Contenders appeared first on The Ankler .
Key Differentiators
Strong Challenger
The Ankler is an established challenger with significant market presence and competitive offerings in Media & Publishing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Estimated Visibility Trend (Beta)
Simulated 8-week rolling score
Based on estimated brand signals. Historical tracking coming soon.
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