Janice Min, CEO and founder of The Ankler, shares her insights from decades in the entertainment industry. She highlights the surge of their successful Hollywood newsletter and the growing appreciation for quality content in a saturated market. The conversation covers the creator economy's rise, the necessity for media to adapt, and reflections on personal resilience amid industry changes. Min stresses the importance of building a strong editorial team to thrive in today's volatile landscape, revealing her passion for quality journalism.
Quality content and a strong editorial team are essential for standing out in today's saturated media landscape.
The rise of the creator economy is reshaping the entertainment industry, necessitating adaptability from traditional media to embrace new voices.
Deep dives
The Importance of Creativity and Quality Content
Creativity and quality content play a crucial role in the evolving media landscape, where oversaturation makes it challenging to capture audience attention. The Ankler, founded by Janice Min and Richard Rushfield, is focused on producing high-quality content that meets audience needs rather than contributing to the noise. Min emphasizes the importance of curating information and sending out thoughtful content that the audience finds valuable, as opposed to merely increasing the quantity of publications. This commitment to quality over quantity resonates with subscribers, who are willing to pay for trustworthy insights in a rapidly changing entertainment industry.
Navigating Disruption in the Entertainment Industry
The entertainment industry is undergoing significant upheaval, characterized by major mergers, the rise of streaming, and the impact of the creator economy. Min discusses how disruptions, like the Netflix correction and the impact of COVID-19, have transformed traditional media approaches, requiring brands and creators to adapt to new realities. The Ankler aims to provide actionable insights to industry professionals, helping them navigate these changes successfully. This includes staying attuned to non-traditional content creators and understanding how these shifts create opportunities for new voices in the market.
Embracing the Creator Economy
The creator economy is emerging as a powerful and distinct industry that rivals traditional Hollywood structures, leading to transformative changes in content production and distribution. Min highlights that the creator economy has the potential to draw significant investment and attention, with many creators gaining their power through platforms like TikTok, which allows for quick content distribution. The Ankler recognizes the need to focus on this rapidly growing sector and launched the 'Like and Subscribe' newsletter to cover the nuances and developments in the creator space. By understanding this shift, The Ankler positions itself as a key player in highlighting creator success stories and informing advertisers about this dynamic landscape.
Building a Strong, Adaptable Team
Building a successful media organization requires recruiting a talented and adaptable team that can respond to the fast-paced changes of the industry. Janice Min reflects on how her team at The Ankler has evolved from a small group to a robust organization with diverse skills and backgrounds, including experienced editors and writers who understand the landscape. The editorial structure is designed to prioritize the unique needs of the audience while fostering innovation and speed in content delivery. This focus on talent and collaboration not only enhances their content quality but empowers team members to contribute meaningfully to the organization's mission.
In this conversation, the CEO and founder of The Ankler, Janice Min, discusses the rapid growth of their “hit Hollywood newsletter,” the importance of quality content to today’s readers and the evolving dynamics of the entertainment industry. Min emphasizes the significance of building a strong editorial team, the rise of the creator economy and the need for media to adapt to changing audience preferences. She reflects on her career learnings in the entertainment biz and the passion and dedication required to succeed as journalists in today’s volatile media landscape.
Convo Highlights
Paid subscriptions for media are increasingly valued by audiences. The Ankler has grown rapidly since its inception, focusing on quality content that lives behind a paywall. Quality over quantity is essential in content creation.
The entertainment industry is constantly undergoing significant disruption and change, from national crises to key players in the streaming space.
The creator economy is a vital and independent sector of the media landscape, increasingly gaining momentum in Hollywood. The Ankler recently launched Like & Subscribe, a newsletter solely dedicated to the influence of creators in the entertainment industry.