The Ankler
The Ankler is an independent entertainment media company publishing Hollywood business newsletters, podcasts, and live events for approximately 150,000 paid industry subscribers, led by Janice Min and founder Richard Rushfield on its own proprietary Passport platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Ankler does
The Ankler is an independent, multi-platform media company covering the business of Hollywood and the wider entertainment industry. Founded in 2017 by veteran reporter Richard Rushfield and led by CEO Janice Min, the company publishes a portfolio of more than ten newsletters — including Richard Rushfield's flagship commentary, Series Business, Prestige Junkie, The Wakeup, Dealmakers, Reel AI, Crowd Pleaser, Notable, Like & Subscribe, and The Optionist — complemented by six podcasts, original video through Ankler Studios, and a calendar of live events spanning Cannes Lions, NAB Show, and Documentary Spotlight screenings. In April 2026 The Ankler migrated from Substack to its own proprietary subscription and content platform ('Passport'), ending a 10% revenue share and restoring first-party subscriber data and front-end control.
The business is monetized primarily through paid subscriptions (approximately 150,000 paid subscribers across $169/year Total Access, $19/month monthly, free, and standalone newsletter tiers), supplemented by event sponsorships, co-branded programming with partners such as NAB Show and Letterboxd, and advertising. The company reports approximately $10M in annual revenue as of April 2026 while operating with only 1–10 employees, implying exceptionally high revenue-per-employee economics relative to legacy trade publications.
The Ankler firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Ankler
- Legal name
- The Ankler
- Website
- https://theankler.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Ankler is an independent entertainment media company publishing Hollywood business newsletters, podcasts, and live events for approximately 150,000 paid industry subscribers, led by Janice Min and founder Richard Rushfield on its own proprietary Passport platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where The Ankler is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Ankler business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Subscription Revenue: Paid subscriptions generating approximately $10 million in annual revenue with around 150,000 paid subscribers. The company moved from Substack's 10% revenue share to operating independently on their own platform.
- Events and Sponsorships: Live events including Cannes Lions programming, Documentary Spotlight, screenings, and industry panels. Generates sponsorship and advertising revenue through high-profile gatherings with entertainment executives.
- Partnership Programming: Co-branded programming with partners like NAB Show, generating revenue through sponsored content and event collaboration.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Total Access subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Total Access subscription |
| Freemium | Monthly | Free tier |
| Subscription | Annual | The Wakeup standalone |
| Subscription | Annual | Series Business standalone |
| Subscription | Annual | Group Subscriptions |
| Subscription | Annual | Early Career Discounts (The Ladder) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Ankler product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Ankler is an independent, multi-platform media company that publishes a portfolio of trade newsletters, podcasts, and live events covering the business of Hollywood and the entertainment industry. Its core product is a suite of editorially distinct subscription newsletters (e.g., The Wakeup, Series Business, Prestige Junkie, Dealmakers, Reel AI, Crowd Pleaser) augmented by companion podcasts, original video content (Ankler Studios), and in-person industry programming, all delivered through its own Passport subscription platform.
Product overview
The Ankler is an independent, multi-platform media company covering Hollywood's business and the evolving intersection of entertainment, media and technology. The company's core product is a suite of newsletters covering various aspects of the entertainment industry, including Richard Rushfield's flagship commentary, Series Business, Prestige Junkie, The Wakeup, Dealmakers, Reel AI, Crowd Pleaser, and Ankler Features. These newsletters are complemented by a portfolio of podcasts including Ankler Agenda, Prestige Junkie Podcast, Rushfield Lunch, Monday Morning QBs, Art & Crafts, and Martini Shot, as well as Ankler Studios for original video content. The company also hosts live events including screenings, Q&As, and industry panels. Subscriptions are available in free, monthly ($19/month), and annual ($14/month, billed as $169/year) tiers, with standalone newsletter options also available. The Ankler migrated from Substack to its own in-house tech infrastructure in April 2026.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Prestige Junkie: TV and film awards coverage, tracking the breakthroughs, contenders, campaigns and conversations shaping film and TV.
- The Wakeup
- Series Business
- Dealmakers
- Reel AI
- Ankler Agenda
- Ankler Studios
- Like & Subscribe
- Crowd Pleaser
- The Optionist
- Ankler Pundits
Products and services
- Richard Rushfield Newsletter Flagship commentary from founder Richard Rushfield offering unfiltered analysis of Hollywood's power structures, key players, and business decisions.
- Series Business Newsletter Reporting on how the TV industry operates — from development through production to distribution — authored by Elaine Low, Lesley Goldberg, and Manori Ravindran.
- Prestige Junkie Newsletter Coverage of TV and film awards seasons, prestige releases, and the intersection of culture and industry power.
- The Wakeup Newsletter Daily newsletter delivering morning briefings on entertainment business news, M&A, deals, and industry developments.
- Dealmakers Newsletter Coverage of the power brokers and dealmakers shaping Hollywood, including the agents, lawyers, and executives behind major transactions.
- Reel AI Newsletter Analysis of how artificial intelligence is reshaping Hollywood production, platforms, talent, and creative workflows.
- Crowd Pleaser Newsletter Audience intelligence newsletter tracking what viewers are watching and why, including demographic and generational trends.
- Ankler Features Long-form editorial features covering Hollywood business, culture, and creative industry developments.
- Notable Newsletter Newsletter covering where music and Hollywood meet, including soundtrack deals, music supervision, and cross-industry talent.
- ICYMI Newsletter Weekly recap newsletter rounding up the most important Hollywood stories readers may have missed.
- Like & Subscribe Newsletter Ankler-family newsletter covering the creator economy, including platforms, creators, and the business relationships between them.
- The Optionist Newsletter Newsletter curating intellectual property opportunities — books, articles, and underlying rights — that may be optioned for film or TV adaptation.
- Ankler Pundits (Emmy Predictions) Awards-season intelligence service offering Emmy predictions and analysis from The Ankler's awards experts.
- Ankler Agenda Podcast Weekly podcast covering the drivers of the entertainment industry, distributed on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Companies that use The Ankler
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Ankler technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Ankler partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- WhalarminorCreator economy focused partnership. The Ankler's Janice Min and Like & Subscribe's Natalie Jarvey co-hosted Cannes Lions lunch with Whalar co-CEOs. Whalar is a creator economy company acquired by Accenture Song.
- Pure NonfictionminorDocumentary Spotlight event partnership between The Ankler and Pure Nonfiction. Joint programming for documentary-focused screening and industry conversation events in New York.
- Letterboxd (Acquisition Interest)minorThe Ankler was identified as a potential buyer for Letterboxd, alongside Versant, as Tiny explores sale of its controlling stake. No transaction completed.
- NAB ShowcoreBusiness of Media and Entertainment program in partnership with The Ankler at the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas. The Ankler provides programming expertise and executive speakers for the broadcast industry's premier global event.
- LetterboxdcorePartnership between The Ankler and Letterboxd involving joint events, ad sales, and a newsletter. Announced by CEO Janice Min in New York. Represents cross-platform collaboration between entertainment media and film-focused social platform targeting overlapping Hollywood professional audiences.
- LetterboxdcoreJoint events, ad sales collaboration, and newsletter cross-promotion. Combines The Ankler's Hollywood business coverage with Letterboxd's film enthusiast community for mutual audience and revenue benefit.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Ankler competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Puck News: Puck is a subscription-based newsletter media company covering Hollywood, media, and adjacent industries, founded by former THR editor Matt Belloni. It is the closest direct competitor to The Ankler — same B2B audience, similar paywall structure, and overlapping subject matter.
- The Information: The Information is a subscription-based B2B technology and media industry news outlet founded by Jessica Lessin. It pioneered the high-priced B2B newsletter model that The Ankler operates within for the entertainment vertical.
- Morning Brew: Morning Brew operates a portfolio of B2B subscription newsletters (Morning Brew, Marketing Brew, etc.) targeting business professionals. It is a structural peer to The Ankler as a multi-newsletter subscription media business.
- Semafor: Semafor is a global news startup founded by Ben Smith and Justin Smith that uses a newsletter-led distribution model covering business, media, and tech. It overlaps with The Ankler in the subscription newsletter format and media-industry beat.
Broad incumbents
- The Hollywood Reporter: THR is the legacy trade publication covering the entertainment industry and was previously led by The Ankler's CEO Janice Min. It overlaps heavily in audience and subject matter but operates at much larger scale with broader advertising-supported business model.
- Deadline: Deadline is a long-standing entertainment industry trade covering Hollywood business, deals, and awards. It serves the same Hollywood insider audience as The Ankler but via free, ad-supported coverage rather than subscription.
- Variety: Variety is a flagship entertainment trade publication covering Hollywood business, talent, and deals. It targets the same executive and creative-leadership audience as The Ankler but at significantly larger scale and through advertising-supported coverage.
- Axios: Axios is a digital media company built around newsletter-first coverage of business and policy, with a subscription product (Axios Pro). It overlaps with The Ankler in the subscription newsletter media model, though covering broader industries.
- IndieWire: IndieWire covers the entertainment industry with a focus on film, TV, and digital media business. It serves overlapping readers with The Ankler but operates on an advertising-supported model rather than subscriptions.
Others
- Substack: Substack is the publishing platform The Ankler departed in 2026. It remains an indirect competitor because individual writers can launch entertainment industry newsletters on Substack, and it shapes the broader newsletter media market dynamics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Ankler social profiles
Digital presenceThe Ankler financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Ankler leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
The Ankler funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Ankler M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Ankler
What does The Ankler do?
The Ankler is an independent, multi-platform media company that publishes a portfolio of trade newsletters, podcasts, and live events covering the business of Hollywood and the entertainment industry. Its core product is a suite of editorially distinct subscription newsletters (e.g., The Wakeup, Series Business, Prestige Junkie, Dealmakers, Reel AI, Crowd Pleaser) augmented by companion podcasts, original video content (Ankler Studios), and in-person industry programming, all delivered through its own Passport subscription platform.
Is The Ankler a public or private company?
The Ankler is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was The Ankler founded?
The Ankler was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Ankler based?
The Ankler is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Ankler make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Subscription Revenue is the primary driver. The others are events and Sponsorships and partnership Programming.
Who are The Ankler's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Puck News, The Information, Morning Brew and Semafor. Broad incumbents are The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Variety, Axios and IndieWire. Substack is listed as an others.
Does The Ankler have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Ankler.