One of the smartest observations I ever heard about YouTube came from its then-head of product: “Everyone thinks they understand YouTube, but all they really know is what they watch on YouTube.” That notion of understanding the business behind the business is what inspired our launch this week of media’s first standalone business trade dedicated to the $250 billion global economy around creators, Like & Subscribe by Natalie Jarvey. Natalie’s covered this world from its earliest days for The Hollywood Reporter, Business Insider and Vanity Fair and now she’ll give you exclusive reporting and insights you won’t find anywhere else. First up? She broke news about Meta seizing on TikTok chaos by quietly wooing creators via a third-party agency, and interviewed Substack cofounder Hamish McKenzie about his strategy. Then she hit Sundance, where yesterday she interviewed superstar creators Sean Evans (14.4 million YouTube subscribers) and Rhett & Link (24.5 million YouTube subscribers across two channels) before heading over to UTA House on Main St. to lead a smart conversation about The New Showbiz around brands and entertainment with UTA partner and co-head of entertainment and culture marketing Julian Jacobs, Academy Award-winning producer Dan Cogan (Icarus), Adobe chief brand officer Heather Freeland and creator Jordan Howlett (4.3 million YouTube subscribers and 13.7 million TikTok followers). You can catch both as special editions of The Ankler podcast, and on Like & Subscribe (a separate subscription from The Ankler, though for the first few weeks you’ll receive it as a free benefit).
HOT ONES From left: Sean Evans, Natalie Jarvey, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal. (Hanna Hensler)
TALENT SHOW From left: Digital creator Jordan Howlett, Ankler CEO and editor-in-chief Janice Min, UTA partner Julian Jacobs, producer Dan Cogan, Adobe’s Heather Freeland and Like & Subscribe’s Natalie Jarvey. (Hanna Hensler)
Come back next week for my exclusive interview with Hot Ones host Sean Evans and YouTube creators Rhett & Link, and if you’re at Sundance, sign up to attend the panel I’m moderating on Saturday at UTA …
Speaking of Substack, I hope you caught Katey Rich and Richard Rushfield’s live video chat Thursday on the Substack app (only for paid subscribers) discussing Oscar noms. (You also can listen to part of the conversation on the most recent Prestige Junkie podcast.)
With one social platform now owned by an erratic billionaire and TikTok’s fate still in flux, we’ll be experimenting more with live video and posting “notes” on Substack, and you can always find us on Instagram, Bluesky and yes, LinkedIn.
Series Business: Streamers’ Unscripted Shopping List
In her latest market guide (for paid subscribers), Elaine Low dives into the unscripted world, revealing the genres that can’t lose; which streamer “seems to have lost its wallet”; the player punching above its weight in social experiments and dating shows; and why The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives succeeded where other influencer-driven shows have missed:
It’s the contract writers (and their lawyers and agents) hate. In Ashley Cullins’ latest Dealmakers (for paid subscribers), she reveals why if-come deals — where writers only get paid if a studio sells their show — are ascendant; how these deals pressure writers into “free work”; why Sony and Skydance are pushing these deals; which studios aren’t and why; and what more experienced writers/showrunners should do when offered one:
A Republican president is usually good for the documentary market, says “The Docfather” Thom Powers — remember Michael Moore? — but not this time. In her latest Ankler Feature, Nicole LaPorte talks with producers, agents and award-winning directors Alex Gibney, Joe Berlinger and Matt Tyrnauer to ascertain how political docs have turned into “kryptonite”; why streamers want IP even in docs; how docs without distribution are getting creative; and what everyone can learn from right-wing troll Matt Walsh:
With Trump back in office, Richard Rushfield and some of the wisest folk in our industry reveal how to stay sane — and what to not do if the 47th president isn’t your taste. Plus, Richard tours the brandscape that’s descended on Sundance (Disney on Main?!) and evaluates how Netflix defied his early Ankler prognostications:
Entertainment Strategy Guy: Shhh, It’s the Library
ESG delves into the overlooked importance of licensed library content to streamers; how much viewing this content commands; why Netflix doesn’t dominate the charts like it used to; the most popular licensed procedurals; how Hulu’s winning with animated series; Paramount, NBCU and Max’s savvy Netflix licensing strategies; and AMC’s ghastly strategic error:
All the President’s Subscriptions (News and Streaming)
Even as Trump decries the “fake news” media, he and his campaign staff still read plenty of them. Investigative reporter Dave Levinthal has the scoop on the more than 65 news outlets Trump’s team purchased subscriptions to as well as their streaming and social media diet:
Prestige Junkie: Oscar Noms; TheBrutalist’s AI Backlash
In addition to Katey’s chat with Richard, she also spoke withcritic Esther Zuckerman (NYT, Bloomberg, and more) about the Emilia Pérez momentum, The Apprentice’s strong showing and which films could surprise come March. Plus: Katey enlists Reel AI’s Erik Barmack for a take you won’t find anywhere else on the controversy around The Brutalist’s use of AI:
2025 Oscar Nominations: The Good, The Bad, and the Shocking
Rob LeDonne talks to Black Pumas rocker Adrian Quesada and rising star singer-guitarist Abraham Alexander about the “surreal” experience of seeing “Like a Bird,” their soulful song from the prison drama Sing Sing, become an Academy Award contender:
Earnings season is here and to kick things off, Sean McNulty analyzes Netflix’s Q4 earnings, including how its new price hike will impact 2025 revenue, the state of its ad business and how every other studio stacks up:
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