American Entertainment 1982

Chapter 197: for the common ideal

  Chapter 197 For the common ideal

Although the ratings data will take a week at the fastest before the third-party ratings survey company entrusted by BT TV can provide the data. Of course, although the ratings have not yet been released, all employees of BT TV have already determined their own ratings on the second day after the broadcast. Television is famous, or to put it another way, notorious.

Because the four outreach phones of the TV station have been almost uninterrupted since last night until noon of the next day. A woman with a man's money is even more tired.

  As for why you have to spend an extra sum of money to get the ratings data? Of course, it's because the big ratings companies in the United States are not interested in wasting energy on cable channels with less than 10 million subscribers, or free TV networks with less than 150 cooperative stations.

  So the BT TV network, which is still one-third short of the hard target of 150 cooperative TV stations, if they want to find out their TV ratings data, they can only pay extra to ask them to help with the investigation.

  The phone is busy because of the popularity of the show.

The calls last night were all enthusiastic viewers asking how to sign up for various reality shows. A large number of single mothers are very interested in how to get on the show "Father Finding America", and many young black men called to ask How to buy the videotape of the program "Almighty Changing Gun King", they want to collect it.

The calls started this morning. Except for six or seven calls from a few advertisers who wanted to talk about advertising cooperation business and ask for quotations, the rest were all from the FCC (full name: U.S. Federal Communications Commission), basically every ten minutes, the outreach department of the FCC Washington headquarters will call the BT TV station in California.

  Reason? Quite simply, as the governing body, the FCC is obliged to notify BT TV, and viewers should call the FCC to complain about BT TV.

  According to the relevant regulations of the US television industry, after receiving the complaint, the FCC needs to contact BT TV station without disclosing any information of the audience, and clearly inform BT TV station of the program the audience complained about and the reason for it.

  In the words of the secretary in charge of the FCC call, 167 complaint calls were received in one morning, and BT, as a completely unknown new TV network, can already feel guilty.

Even the secretary couldn't help but curiously asked BT's telephone customer service, what exactly did BT TV show the audience, so that the trivial matter of pressing the remote control button to watch another TV station if they didn't like it would develop into the audience deliberately looking through the phone book for inquiries FCC complaint telephone, dial the phone and leave a message to complain about the situation.

  However, the FCC will not trouble BT TV because it receives a complaint call. As long as BT TV does not violate the law, even if the viewer makes a complaint call to arrears, it will not help.

Although there is no need to worry about legal liability, Rick Luthor and his programming team were still shocked by the number of 167 complaint calls. Rick is already planning to hold a departmental meeting with the gang members. Reflect on whether the scale of self-made programs is really too exaggerated, which led to this situation.

  At the same time, do you want to consider converging on the scale?

  But before the departmental meeting was held, Rick received a call from Sophia in the office, and Sophia told him that Tommy asked Rick to take his troops to the meeting room.

"The boss seemed very upset, because Sophia emphasized it specially, and Tommy told her, let's go to the meeting room, I think our show may really be too much." Rick picked up the notebook and called his men to hurry up. Going to the conference room, he reminded: "So, be mentally prepared."

  When a group of people entered the meeting room, Tommy sat on the main seat with a mocking expression on his face and deliberately applauded them vigorously: "Welcome, welcome..."

"Sorry, Tommy, it's my fault." Rick took all the responsibility on himself when he sat down and said, "I should have realized that this will bring you a lot of social pressure. It doesn't matter much, they just do things according to my orders, so if you want to find someone to settle accounts, I am the most suitable person."

Tommy looked around at the team that Rick had formed, and listened to Rick's words with a blank expression: "Otherwise, who should I go to? Of course it's your responsibility, Rick, you and your people have let me down too much." Well, I've never been so disappointed by any of my previous work mates in the computer industry."

"Those programs were produced only after you approved them, Mr. Hawk." A woman under Rick heard the dissatisfaction in Tommy's tone, and saw that her boss Rick just bowed his head in silence, mustering up the courage to speak for Tommy. K argued.

  Tommy looked at the brave woman with dissatisfaction: "I didn't deny it. Of course, I need my approval to make it. Not only that, but I also need to pay money to start making it, ma'am, but this is not the reason for you to mess up!"

  He tapped the tabletop lightly with his fingers, motioning Rick to look up at him.

  Rick raised his head and looked at Tommy. Tommy stared at him, and seriously expressed his suspicion: "Are you sure you really worked for the Little Film Company? Did you falsify your resume?"

As the question came out, everyone below Rick in the conference room raised their heads and looked at Tommy in surprise, because Tommy's question seemed to be off topic, and now it seems that the focus of concern should not be whether Rick No small films have been made.

"The performance at the beginning of the broadcast made me doubt your work experience, Rick, one hundred and sixty-seven complaints, this is the result you and your colleagues handed over to me, it is a pile of shit!" Tommy Seeing that everyone was staring at him, he continued.

  Rick nodded without denying: "Of course it's a piece of shit, I was going to have a meeting with them to reflect..."

"Of course you have to reflect on why there are only 167 complaint calls! Just look at how beautiful it was when the FOX TV network started broadcasting. There were more than 700 complaint calls, not including the outbreak of protests against FOX TV in more than 20 cities. I have always believed that BT's programs are more exciting and cooler than FOX's. The reality gave me a loud slap in the face and made me wake up. One hundred and sixty-seven, This number is so embarrassing to show off to my friends." Before Rick could finish speaking, Tommy said indignantly.

Rick and his people stared blankly at Tommy who was full of anger. They thought that Tommy was angry because he received too many complaint calls, but now they found out that their boss was because the number of complaint calls did not exceed FOX The number of complaint calls that started the broadcast made him angry for not being able to get the title of TV station owner with the most complaints about the broadcast.

  Rick opened his mouth, and just said the other person's name a few times, but didn't know what to say: "Tommy...Tom...Tommy..."

   "Tell me, what is the result of your reflection, why are there only 167 complaint calls from the audience, are you all going to become holy American righteous people?" Tommy asked impatiently after taking a sip of coffee.

  The woman who spoke bravely before reacted the fastest. Realizing that her boss and all her colleagues had misjudged the reason for the boss's anger, she quickly adjusted her words:

"Uh...Mr. Hawke, we haven't had a formal meeting to discuss it, but the result of our private discussion is that, considering the first day of the broadcast, we don't know much about the tastes of the audience, so we chose a relatively conservative program arrangement. In fact, we I had some ideas before, such as putting in a heavy plot in the first issue of "Wife Swap Game", let the woman flirt with the new husband, sleep in the same bed and other arrangements, but, like I said, I am afraid that the audience will accept it. We can’t get this kind of plot, so we made a conservative arrangement, and it’s the same with other shows, we all...”

   "Those complaint calls are the best medals for TV people. You could leave a bad name... leave your name in history, but unfortunately, you missed such a precious opportunity." Hearing the other party's explanation, Tommy joked regretfully:

"It's like Johnny Hyde missed out on Marilyn Monroe, the manager who created this stunning American beauty, who loved Monroe as much as you love these shows, and would give up everything to get married and have **** with her." Wife and son, but it was just a small mistake that made him regret for life. In Monroe's life, there were probably more than a hundred men who raped her like whores. Unfortunately, Johnny Hyde was not among the more than a hundred men. He has done the hardest work, licked the goddess all his life, but he is unknown, understand? There is nothing to brag about, nothing more than bragging that he discovered Marilyn Monroe, so what, in the United States, Walk into any bar late at night and hear at least three drunks bragging about* Monroe."

"In the future, you can only be like Johnny Hyde, boasting that you created those wonderful programs, but... that's it, BT will continue to grow in the future, and other excellent employees will join, and they will also be in charge of these programs, What can you say to them? That we didn't break Australian TV complaint records when we started airing!"

"Tell them that when we started broadcasting, we couldn't play the three American TV networks in depth, and couldn't play the Australian TV network in Crazy, so the 3P position, BT can only be caught in the middle and be played by both sides. , Desperate to immortality? The ones on the left and right are the ones who are delirious, and the BT caught in the middle can only be desperate to die."

"BeTaleCrazy, this slogan is not printed on the wall for those who visit the TV station. It is used to remind you all the time that BT TV station believes in the way of madness. If you are not crazy, you will not survive." Tommy took out a cigarette and lit it in his mouth. Got one:

"There can only be two kinds of results for BT TV programs presented to the audience. One is to make the audience feel hard and their blood boils; These half-hard bastards."

   "Tommy, Wolf from SBG is here to see you." Sophia gently knocked on the door panel at the door of the conference room, interrupting Tommy's angry and vulgar meeting process.

"Did you hear me, my best black friend came to see me, he came to laugh at you just because you let BT TV only receive 167 complaint calls, because if he hadn't resigned then, he must be better than you now To get more medals, he came here to remind you that he can take over your jobs at any time." Tommy got up and walked out, turning his fingers at his temples as he walked, looking at Rick:

   "Rick, use your ingenuity to work in a small film company and come up with more good shows that attract audiences. You are a **** talent who can sell small films to Christians! Use your brain!"

   "I will, boss." When Tommy left, Rick let out a sigh of relief, closed his eyes and meditated for a while, and then raised his head to look at his companion:

"Tonight, the "Decisive Battle of Three Thousand Silks" used to increase the audience's sense of participation is suspended, and an additional episode of "Nigger Boss" will be used to fill the vacant time. Megan, take the reality show plan that we passed before and go to the production company , if they refuse to make it because it is too vulgar, let Live Color and Fragrance Company complete the filming work for us."

   "We have passed a lot of proposals, which one?" the woman who was brave enough to argue with Tommy for Rick before asked.

   "The one whose program is tentatively named "Indecent"." Rick stood up and walked towards the meeting room.

  In the room, everyone gasped. The woman named Megan shrugged, quickly packed up her notebook and got up, chased Rick away, and reminded her colleagues as she walked:

   "Everyone, be prepared for your career to be completely insulated from the Emmy Awards."

  …

  Tommy pushed open the door of his office. Wolf Tucker was sitting on the sofa and flipping through a "Time" magazine. When he saw Tommy walking in, he got up and hugged Tommy.

   "You better not come to congratulate me, Wolf." After Tommy let go of him, he didn't sit back on the chair behind the desk, but sat directly on the desk, and looked at his black friend with a wry smile.

Wolfe can be regarded as his mentor in the TV industry, telling him a lot of secrets about the TV industry, the same rules in the industry, hidden power, hidden order, etc. If there is no suggestion from Wolfe, an orthodox talent in the TV industry, Tang It is impossible for Mi to take a slant and create a BT TV network so easily.

  Of course, there is no need to let Wolfe know why he created such a BT TV network.

   "What? I can't congratulate you on the launch of your TV network?" Wolff sat back on the sofa, looked at Tommy, whom he hadn't seen for a long time, and said with a smile.

"The broadcast started last night. Today, the secretary told me that I received a call from the FCC. Congratulations to BT for receiving 167 calls complaining about the vulgar program and making the audience feel uncomfortable. I was just in a meeting with the team in charge of programming. , I asked them what went wrong? One hundred and sixty-seven complaint calls, are you proud? This result caught me off guard!" Tommy lowered his head and rubbed his hands in frustration, then raised his head to look at Wolf :

   "Do you believe it? I have never been complained by so many people since I was a child."

"It's not your fault, Tommy. The only TV station with the highest ratings is the same. It attracts viewers with eye-catching and vulgar programs, and then earns advertising fees from advertisers. It seems that there is nothing wrong with this. When FOX started broadcasting There have been dozens of demonstrations." Seeing Tommy's dispirited expression, Wolfe couldn't say what he wanted to question, but walked over, patted Tommy on the shoulder, and comforted him in a soft tone:

   "Thinking of the bright side, your employees are working hard to help you earn money, and judging from my industry perspective, these programs of yours will definitely be favored by advertisers."

Tommy slowly moved his head and raised his head after a long silence: "But you know, I never thought about making money from TV stations. If I want to make money, I don't need to do it. I just need to go back to Silicon Valley." It’s easy to earn more money than the advertising fee, I’m not doing it for money, Wolfe, I’m doing it to realize the value of life.”

   "I know." Wolfe looked at Tommy, sighed, and slowly retreated to the sofa and sat down: "Also, no matter how many viewers complain and call, you don't need to worry about it, as long as there is no prohibition, you can do it."

Tommy grinned at Wolfe: "So, you are encouraging me to continue doing this? God, I saw those shows last night, and I was so angry that I just yelled at those people in the conference room." , They don’t even know what TV is!”

"I didn't encourage you, I just comforted you. I hope you can cheer up. It's not without benefits. Although the style of the program is doomed that BT can't compete with the three major TV networks for ratings, but from another perspective, the audience of FOX TV network may No one can resist the temptation of these programs on BT," Wolfe said with a smile.

Tommy was silent for a while, as if he had made up his mind, he looked at Wolfe seriously: "Come back, Wolfe, without you, I'm just like a fly hitting the wall, remember? We said that, Sooner or later, as the best TV station owner and you as the best TV producer, we will go to the Emmy Awards together to win all the awards we can. If you are not here, how can I get them? "Looking for Daddy America" ​​or "The Wife Swap Game."

Sophia personally delivered two cups of coffee. When she heard Tommy's words, she frowned slightly. She didn't shy away from Wolfe, and reminded on the spot: "Tommy, I remind you that the TV station has just started broadcasting, and it is extremely unwise to make a large personnel adjustment. And irresponsible behavior, and as far as I know, Earl has gone to discuss business with several large advertisers today, although the program he licensed has some scale issues, but from a business point of view..."

"As I said, I'm not short of money, Sophia, and I didn't deny the achievements of Earl and others, but their comprehension seems to have problems. I told them the central idea of ​​the program "Lamplighter", and then they Based on this central idea, he gave me the answer of "Looking for My Father in America." Tommy took the coffee and put it beside him, and said in a helpless tone.

"Sophia is right, Tommy, the broadcast has just started, any personnel adjustment will cause a huge chain reaction of employee emotions, especially when the feedback from the advertising business is not bad, if you insist, the employees below will panic, because they don't know what to do. Knowing what is wrong with helping the company make money, why being adjusted or fired, this is impulsive behavior." Wolfe took the coffee from Sophia and persuaded Tommy.

Hearing Wolfe say the same, Tommy lowered his head in frustration, but soon he raised his head again: "You are right, you really shouldn't blame these employees who work hard to help the company make money, but I have another Idea, Wolfe."

   "What?" Wolff was drinking coffee with his head down, when he heard Tommy's words, he looked up at Tommy.

  Tommy said with a sincere expression: "We will bypass BT and follow the previous preparatory procedures again. You and your team will rebuild a TV network for our common ideal."

All the so-called self-made variety shows and episodes in the book were not conceived by the author, they were all designed by American TV powerhouses, and I just borrowed them for use. The author’s morality and brain hole can’t think of such an exaggeration play.

  

  

  (end of this chapter)