Chapter 529: Controlling Public Opinion (Third update, please subscribe)
TV and TV stations themselves complement each other.
Since their respective goals have been achieved, it is only natural to part ways. When Yang Shikai took the flight to return to China, Zhu Yihai continued his inspection in the United States.
However, the focus of his investigation has changed. From ordinary industrial products to inspecting television stations.
“Compared to movies, television is the future.”
On the ABC TV station, company manager Steven made this judgment directly when introducing the company's operations and other aspects to Zhu Hai.
"In the end, television is likely to eliminate movies and turn movies into something for a few people."
Is Steven exaggerating?
Of course not
In fact, with the popularity of television, audiences will definitely make choices with their butts, and theater attendance continues to decline. By 1952, the total number of moviegoers in the United States for the entire year had reached the second-to-last low in the decade, surpassing 1944 during the war. Over the next twenty years, movies became a half-dead existence.
"Because of this, Hollywood has continued to pay attention to television since the 1920s. The best way that film companies have thought of to deal with the impact of television is to have their own television stations."
In fact, when it comes to television, Hollywood With mixed emotions. On the one hand, you should regard it as a potential opponent competing with you for the audience. You should study it, beware of it, and take precautions. On the other hand, they want to take a share of the huge potential market for television.
“The most radical among them is Paramount. Four of the first nine television stations in the United States were affiliated with Paramount. As a result, other studios followed suit and applied for broadcast and television licenses in various places. Certificate, build a TV station.”
After mentioning Hollywood’s interest in the TV station, Steven shrugged again and said.
“But that is all in the past. Two years ago, the FCC, the Federal Communications Commission, announced a suspension of the issuance of broadcast and television licenses, especially targeting large studios that had previously been judged to be involved in monopoly control. After the TV station's plan died, Hollywood had no choice but to accept the reality and get involved
They now only produce TV shows for the station, and we also bring in shows from Hollywood. ”
Steven explained the operation of the TV station to Zhu Yihai in detail, without any discrimination because of his Asian identity, because...ABC is Li Yian’s industry.
As the first broadcasting organization in the United States, NBC once had two broadcasting networks covering the entire country, one was called the Red Network, and the other was the predecessor of ABC, the Blue Network. As the largest broadcasting organization, NBC not only covered all regions of the United States, but also Extending its scope to Canada, Northern Mexico and other places was contrary to the Antitrust Law at the time. Therefore, in 1943, according to the FCC's investigation report on interlocking broadcasting, a company was not allowed to own more than two. The broadcast network was stipulated to be sold. Therefore, NBC had to split the company and sell the slightly weaker Blue Network.
And Li Yi'an bought it for $10,000 in 1944, and now it broadcasts. The network has transformed into a television network.
Finally, the group came to the live broadcast room. In the spacious live broadcast room, the actors were filming advertisements. The advertisements were broadcast live and expressed to people through the actions of the actors.
"Mr. Zhu, you see, for advertisers, television is simply the perfect communication medium: an unheard of product can, through the magic of television, become as common a daily necessity as toothpaste in just one day." "Seeing is believing", TV's ability to bring goods is beyond the reach of radio stations."
When it comes to advertising, Steven specifically emphasized.
“Advertising is also our source of profit. All kinds of brand-new products have entered American families through the developed radio network. Therefore, it is very important to promote the popularization of television. Only by making every American family With TV, our advertising fees will go up." Zhu Yihai understood this and nodded.
“This is similar to a radio station. They both rely on advertising fees to make money, but in the final analysis it still depends on the number of customers.”
"Yes, the key is to rely on advertising fees, so the company must find a way to let customers watch our programs. In order to increase the ratings, at the end of last year, we signed a 10-year broadcast contract with the American NFL and NBA. The latter is basketball, both of which are the most popular sports games in the United States. Starting from this year, viewers can watch the games without leaving home, which only a few people could watch when they came to the scene in the past. Once broadcast, it became a sensation across the United States. "
When referring to the contracts signed with the major leagues and professional leagues, Steven emphasized specifically.
“Signing live broadcast contracts with the NFL and NBA was a suggestion given to us during your visit last year. Since the show was broadcast, it has attracted a large number of viewers for the company and increased our advertising fees by more than 70%! ”
Li Yian has always attached great importance to the public opinion work on the United States. The acquisition of ABC during the war was a coincidence and a key step for him to control American public opinion. Although ABC has not yet shown its effect, with the TV As users increase, it will definitely play a corresponding role in special periods.
In fact, this is also the benefit of the times. If it were the 21st century, a foreigner would definitely not be able to obtain a radio and television license. However, in the 1940s and 1950s, there was no awareness at all that radio, Especially the importance of television.
For ordinary viewers, having a TV in their living room means that they can watch not only live sporting events, but also live performances by pop stars and, of course, the president's Christmas message without leaving home.
It was in 1948 that television, as a communication medium, participated in the presidential election for the first time. In the future, as television becomes more popular, its influence on public opinion will only increase, and by then, it may even influence the presidential election. Before that, all you need to invest is time. Cultivate it slowly through time, and eventually it will bloom and bear fruit.
Zhu Yihai knew nothing about everything behind the scenes. He just realized that the TV station was a project worth investing out of a businessman's keen sense. After all, Nanyang currently does not have its own TV station. This is A completely blank blue ocean city.
During the subsequent inspection, Zhu Yihai inspected several other TV stations. After finishing his visit to NBC that day, Zhu Yihai drove out of the front door of NBC in a BMW driven by a driver and returned to the Wallendorf Hotel. After a tiring day, he was going to take a hot bath and eat dinner from the restaurant.
Sitting in the car, he leaned back and rested for a while. It was not until he recovered a little that the secretary in the passenger seat handed him a copy of the Wall Street Journal. While flipping through the news in the newspaper, a piece of latest news suddenly came into his eyes.
The news was published in the middle of the newspaper's financial news. It didn't seem very conspicuous, and many people would even ignore it. But when he saw this news, Zhu Yihai looked at it and read it several times in a row.
The content of the news is very simple - according to reliable sources, under the initiative of Washington, on January 1 this year, 18 countries including the United States, Britain, France and other countries signed a secret agreement in Paris to establish the "Export... Control Coordinating Committee", whose purpose is to restrict the export of strategic materials and high technologies by member states to Eastern European countries headed by Russia...
If it had been anyone else, they would have laughed off the news, but Zhu Yihai looked at it When reading this news, his brows knitted together and he muttered secretly.
“This will definitely have an impact on Nanyang’s exports!”
The reason why he made this judgment is that Nanyang is also a signatory country, which means that many commodities will no longer be exported. It can no longer be exported to the outside world.
(End of this chapter)