Paramount Pulls Ads From The Ankler After Rushfield Boosts ‘Block the Merger’ Movement at CinemaCon | Exclusive

Paramount has pulled its advertising from The Ankler after its editorial director and chief columnist, Richard Rushfield, was seen at CinemaCon on Monday with a bag of “Block the Merger” buttons.

Rushfield had a picture of the buttons on his Instagram as he landed in Las Vegas for the convention. He told TheWrap that he was delivering the buttons to fellow members of the organization Future Film Coalition once he arrived at CinemaCon.

Reached in the hallway at CinemaCon, Rushfield told TheWrap, “If it isn’t censorship, what is it? You tell me a better word. This is an issue of intense public debate. People have strong feelings. My views I have aired very publicly. What does it mean when we have town halls on this issue? Where’s the line? I’m not doing anything that is at odds with what I’ve written publicly. I’m not organizing people, I’m not directing people. I’m on the board of the Future Film Coalition.”

A Paramount insider responded, “This decision was not rooted in objection to or suppression of his reporting or opinion.” The company believed advocating on behalf of organizations trying to block the merger crossed the line.

The sighting led to a conference call between Paramount representatives, Rushfield and CEO Janice Min. On the call, Rushfield said he wasn’t handing the buttons out, but was bringing them to someone else.

During the call, Rushfield maintained that he’s a columnist, though Paramount pushed back, given he also holds the title of editorial director, while Min emphasized that The Ankler is not against Paramount’s merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. 

Nevertheless, Paramount decided to pull advertising from The Ankler. Its employees have also been directed not to cooperate with the entertainment industry outlet until further notice.

But another source familiar with the matter insisted Paramount’s decision was instead about Rushfield’s coverage of the merger.

The conflict with Paramount came hours after more than 1,000 actors, directors, journalists and other Hollywood titans published an open letter advocating against Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which it aims to close later this year. 

The “Block the Merger” letter — which was signed by directors including J.J. Abrams and David Fincher, actors including Jane Fonda and Glenn Close, journalists including Jim Acosta and Katie Phang and more — claimed the merger prioritizes “a small group of powerful stakeholders over the broader public good” and “would further consolidate an already concentrated media landscape.”

Rushfield, a longtime entertainment journalist who founded the Ankler in 2017, is among the signatories under the title “reporter.”

The post Paramount Pulls Ads From The Ankler After Rushfield Boosts ‘Block the Merger’ Movement at CinemaCon | Exclusive appeared first on TheWrap.