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The Ankler is a critical examination focusing on the turbulence within Hollywood, addressing industry leadership, evolving business models, strikes, the impact of social media, real estate challenges for entertainment professionals, and historical perspectives. It offers insight into Hollywood's future, corporate shake-ups, and the evolving landscape of storytelling and streaming services.

Entertainment Industry Leadership Hollywood Business Models Entertainment Professional Challenges Hollywood History Streaming Wars Industry Strikes Real Estate in Hollywood Industry Future Trends

The hottest Substack posts of The Ankler

And their main takeaways

🎧 The Rapid-Fire News Out of Netflix

294 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
💼 Business Entertainment Media
  1. Netflix's head of film, Scott Stuber, stepped down after 7 years, hinting at change
  2. Netflix made a huge $5 billion deal for WWE Raw, signaling new directions
  3. Netflix's record subscriber count and Oscar nominations show a shift in the company's strategy
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

The Fever Dream of Barbenheimer

294 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Movies Entertainment Celebrities Awards
  1. Barbie and Oppenheimer faced off at the Oscars, but only one emerged as a clear favorite.
  2. Having two popular films as major players is good for attracting viewers, but sets up disappointment for fans of the losing film.
  3. Barbie faced snubs in key categories like best director and best actress nominations, causing disappointment among fans.

How Netflix’s $5B WWE Deal Could Body-Slam Reality's Slump

255 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
💼 Business Media Streaming Entertainment Reality TV
  1. Netflix's $5 billion deal with WWE is creating hope for unscripted producers and executives.
  2. Despite a slowdown in reality TV business due to tight budgets, recent announcements from Netflix and Comedy Central are sparking fresh prospects.
  3. The unscripted genre is seeing a revival, with Netflix's move beyond just sports signaling potential ripple effects on the industry.

☀️Lionsgate & AMC Show Squeeze is on for Mid-Sized Hollywood

216 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
  1. The SEC collegiate athletic conference made $853 Million in its FY23 from football TV rights
  2. The Oscars are adding a new category for casting directors in 2025
  3. LGF and AMC are reporting Q4 numbers that have sent both stock prices down significantly

The Falling TV News Star Salary

216 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
  1. Top TV news anchors' salaries are dropping as media companies face budget cuts and declining linear business, leading to a trend of replacing high-paid stars with lower-cost talent.
  2. The era of massive paydays for news anchors is likely ending due to aging audiences, shrinking ad revenues, and the rise of platforms like TikTok attracting younger viewers.
  3. Big-money anchor contracts from the past decade have not always paid off, with some high-paid stars failing to connect with audiences and getting ousted as networks focus on cost-cutting.

☀️'Argylle' Latest $200M APPLE Dud as Feb. Box Office Looks Grim

216 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
  1. The movie 'Argylle' is considered a $200M failure for Apple, adding to a bleak February at the box office.
  2. There is news about GRAMMY winners, Apple's new David E. Kelly series, and Spotify and Joe Rogan.
  3. This post by Sean McNulty on Hollywood and media updates is for paid subscribers only.

New Netflix Film Chief Name in the Mix; Sweeney Mystery

216 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
  1. A Netflix rom-com unexpectedly became a success due to a viral TikTok trend.
  2. Movies can find success by being released in theaters rather than just streaming platforms.
  3. Sometimes, marketing successes are unpredictable and credit goes to unexpected sources like TikTok users.

☀️PEACOCK $$ Bleed: An Enigma Wrapped in an Earnings Report

196 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
  1. Amazon Prime will debut the Gyllenhaal MGM Road House movie on streaming.
  2. Job cuts in media industry including layoffs at Time magazine, G/O Media, and Microsoft's Activision division.
  3. A dive into the financial state of Peacock and Comcast/NBCU's Q4 performance.

'Parasite' to 'Past Lives': Korea's Hitmakers Strike Oscar, Again

176 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
  1. CJ ENM is a South Korean media giant making a mark in Hollywood with films like 'Parasite' and 'Past Lives'.
  2. Korean entertainment powerhouse CJ Group has been striving to become international through media expansion and collaborations.
  3. The film 'Past Lives' bridges cultures and signifies CJ ENM's efforts to establish itself as a global entertainment player.

ICYMI: Where the Jobs Are; Doc Drama; TV News Star $$ Falling

137 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
💼 Business Entertainment Media Jobs Market Analysis Salaries
  1. Learn about job opportunities in entertainment: Discover growing fields, unexpected job areas, and where Hollywood professionals are being placed by recruiters.
  2. The documentary market shifts: From small stories to celebs and sports stars, there's a potential return to a lucrative phase.
  3. TV news star salaries declining: High-profile news anchors like Rachel Maddow and Sean Hannity are seeing budget cuts and changes, indicating a shift in the industry.

ICYMI: Stuber Succession Names, L.A. Private School Wars

137 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
  1. The Ankler partnered with 89.3 LAist for entertainment news updates.
  2. Netflix's dominating popularity and its impact on the entertainment industry.
  3. The challenges and battles faced by private schools in Hollywood.

🎧 If Lucy Ran a TV Network

117 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
  1. Rob Long talks about dealing with show business rejection.
  2. He questions if we are too invested in our work.
  3. Be prepared for unexpected challenges in your career.

Transcript: If Lucy Ran a TV Network

39 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
  1. Life is filled with suffering, so it's best not to worry too much in advance.
  2. We often suffer more in our imagination than in reality, so it's important to stay present.
  3. Anticipating pain can actually make it worse, so it's better to deal with it when it actually happens.

How Documentary Went Off the Rails

0 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
  1. Documentary film industry has shifted towards focusing on celebrities, sports stars, and true crime, deviating from its original focus on small stories.
  2. At the recent Sundance Film Festival, there were signs indicating a resurgence of interest in smaller, more independent documentaries.
  3. To access the full post and its insights, one needs to be a paid subscriber on theankler.com.

Transcript: Disney's Next Decade

0 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
  1. Disney is making big moves like investing in Epic Games and launching a sports streaming service.
  2. Disney's new joint venture with Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery is creating a sports streaming platform named Sports Hulu.
  3. The new streaming service will offer a mini-bundle of 14 networks and likely cost between $45-$50 a month for sports fans.

Transcript: The Rapid-Fire News Out of Netflix

0 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
  1. Netflix is experiencing rapid changes with an executive exit and a surprise WWE deal.
  2. There are various significant events happening in the entertainment industry, like Oscar snubs and Netflix adding subscribers.
  3. Stay updated on the latest news and insights from podcasts and articles to understand the evolving landscape of streaming and content platforms.

Transcript: Hey, That's My Joke!

0 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
  1. Original material is hard to come by in Hollywood and other industries.
  2. Plagiarism and similarities in creative works can often be a gray area.
  3. Legal advice in response to potential intellectual property disputes is common in such situations.

The Falling TV News Star Salary

0 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
  1. TV news star salaries are decreasing as networks opt for cost-effective options like AI anchors.
  2. Agents are finding it challenging to justify high pay for aging A-list TV news stars.
  3. The media industry trend is to replace high-cost star anchors with more affordable talent.