Finke, Deadline founder and entertainment industry reporter, dies at 68

Nikki Finke, a longtime reporter who covered the entertainment industry and then founded industry publication, died Sunday at 68 after a prolonged illness.

Erik Pederson of Deadline writes, “The famously reclusive Finke founded her site as Deadline Hollywood Daily, the 24/7 Internet version of her long-running print column “Deadline Hollywood” for LA Weekly. She posted firsthand accounts of how she saw the entertainment business and was unfazed about dressing down its biggest players. Her often biting, acerbic posts called out wrongdoing and wrongdoers as she saw fit — making her a hero to many assistants and below-the-liners while irking many in the C-suites who were not used to anything less than praise.

“They pretty much always took her calls, though.

“Finke’s take-no-prisoners style angered many of showbiz’s top players and delighted others. She often scored huge exclusives, and when they were confirmed by comms teams or publicists, Finke would update her story using her signature ‘TOLDJA!'”

Read more here.