With the preponderance of business and finance newsletters as well as computer and technology newsletters, it's still entertainment newsletters that lead the pack. One reason for this is that the entertainment business is everyone's second business. You can scarcely have a conversation these days that doesn't eventually drag in pop-culture referents such as movies and TV shows. Thus, everybody's an expert.

Second, the very nature of celebrity lends itself to the caprices of newsletter writers. One may get a hold of the latest dirt on an A-list actress or have a "star sighting" to report from an L.A. restaurant or coffee shop. These anecdotes can quickly become unfounded rumors that develop "legs" and evolve lives of their own. Pretty soon, they're being included in celebrity-driven magazines such as US Weekly and Entertainment Weekly.

The Dish on Entertainment Newsletters

Some entertainment newsletters don't rely on star fodder to drive their readership. For more literate cinema-goers, there are entertainment newsletters that feature considered, balanced, and well-articulated opinions on the most recent blockbusters, indie fare, and documentaries. These are often bolstered by focus columns on a particular facet of the entertainment business, from new Writers Guild contracts to the flight of below-the-line jobs to Canada.

Entertainment newsletters are popular because, unlike more vocational newsletters, they're not tied to a specific demographic, region, or age group. We are all consumers of entertainment, which means there are frequently a million different voices in the night all struggling to be heard. Online media such as newsletters are generally the most conducive media to such spirited debates.