Chapter 487

San Francisco.

Fairmont Hotel.

This luxury hotel, built in 1907, has a bit more historical weight due to its long history.

In a conference room inside the hotel,

The business negotiation team of Fox Broadcasting Company is holding an internal meeting.

The lead representative, Johnson, is wearing a crisp suit.

Sitting next to him is the company's senior lawyer, White, whose eyes behind his glasses reveal the wear and tear of time.

And other members of the group, two of whom are flipping through a stack of documents.

"This acquisition of KTVU television station is considered a relatively important trip for us; the boss is very optimistic about it..."

"You have also seen that in the reporting of this Los Angeles riot event, KTVU performed quite outstandingly. Their news team went deep into the front lines, obtained a lot of exclusive footage, and attracted the attention of a large number of viewers across the United States."

White pushed his glasses and nodded in agreement: "That's right, and KTVU's coverage is very broad, covering all walks of life in San Francisco and surrounding areas. If we can successfully acquire it, we can further expand our influence on the West Coast and form a better echo with our media layout on the East Coast."

"But the other party may not be willing to sell easily." Another young business assistant raised a concern, "After all, they also know their own value; they haven't accepted previous offers."

Johnson smiled: "This is normal; negotiation is a game. We need to show enough sincerity and strength. I think we can make some concessions on the price, and at the same time promise them some generous conditions, such as retaining the original core team and giving them a certain degree of autonomy."

"Next, we have a few things to do; everyone needs to get busy..."

John clapped his hands,

Everyone looked at him one after another.

Johnson's expression became serious, his eyes scanning everyone in the conference room,

"First, the intelligence issue."

"Investigate their financial situation, understand the revenue, profit, cost structure, and debt situation over the past three years."

"Second step, analyze their operations, investigate their program production process, and understand their news gathering and editing team..."

"Third step, conduct a comprehensive investigation into their new boss."

Johnson's expression was grave,

"Investigate the new boss's personal background, including his educational experience, employment history, sort out his past work trajectory in the media industry or other related fields, and understand the resources and connections he has accumulated..."

"Yes!"

Everyone responded one after another.

Johnson clapped his hands: "Okay, start working!"

Three days later,

The Fox acquisition team and Following Xiao Fu, along with professionals, officially entered preliminary negotiations.

The first day of negotiations ended.

The Fox team returned to the Fairmont Hotel again.

Continued the meeting.

"We can basically confirm that this boss, Li Fu, is basically not short of money."

"In the past few days, we found out that Li Fu came from Hong Kong, the financial center of the East; he doesn't look like a boss..."

(Li Fu: "............" Sorry, I haven't been a boss for long, the temperament hasn't been cultivated yet.)

"And, we can be sure that this Li Fu also has no intention of selling KTVU; instead, he is willing to sell a portion of the shares and then obtain local connections and support."

"That's right, this is consistent with his identity... newly arrived in the United States, wanting to take root in our United States and obtain connections here."

"This is not strange; every tycoon from another country who comes here will do this."

"It just depends on whether they can hold onto their wealth."

Once these words were spoken,

Everyone burst into laughter.

Most tycoons who come here alone basically don't have a good ending; they are easily swallowed up by the wolves and hungry tigers here in the United States.

"Then next, let's change the plan!"

Johnson clapped his hands,

"Use our connections as bait to acquire a portion of their television station's shares. At first, we can propose harsh conditions to make them hand over management rights... If the negotiation fails, then slowly lower the conditions..."

"Of course, remember our bottom line!"

"That is, we must obtain the television station's support for us, Fox. If we at Fox want to lean toward a certain camp, they must follow that camp."

"This is the basic condition for our acquisition!"

Everyone nodded: "Yes!"

A new day,

KTVU television station, the second round of negotiations continued.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the television station's conference room, spilling onto the negotiation table.

The Fox team and Following Xiao Fu's negotiation team sat opposite each other again.

Johnson broke the silence first, with a professional smile on his face, but his tone was unquestionable:

"Mr. Li Fu, after our in-depth consideration, we will no longer acquire 100% of your television station's shares. We are willing to acquire them at a generous price, and we will use our extensive connections across the United States to help your television station expand its business and enhance its influence."

"The conditions are?"

"We want management rights because we are more professional."

Following Xiao Fu shook his head: "Mr. Johnson. Although we are happy to cooperate with your side and obtain connection resources, management rights are our bottom line; we cannot easily hand them over. Since your side wants to acquire shares, you should respect our control over the television station."

At this time, lawyer White spoke: "Mr. Li Fu, you must know our Fox Broadcasting Company's professionalism and resource integration capabilities in the media industry. Handing over management rights to us can make the television station operate more efficiently and obtain more advertising commercial benefits."

Following Xiao Fu was unmoved: "Mr. White, commercial benefits are certainly important, but we value the independence and autonomy of the television station more. We are indeed interested in your connection resources, but at the cost of handing over management rights, this transaction is not cost-effective for us."

Johnson saw that the other party's attitude was firm and knew that getting management rights was impossible.

Then take a step back,

"Mr. Li Fu, we will lower our requirements for management rights, but on some key decisions, such as major program direction, advertising cooperation, etc., we hope to have a certain degree of decision-making power."

Here, it involves an organization.

"AIPAC"

Founded in 1954, originally named the American Zionist Committee. (From the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (1985) remarks)

Currently, "AIPAC" is exerting its power, gradually infiltrating the media industry, and then using it to change the world's perception of the Jews.

The later generation's "Jews are the smartest nation in the world; in order to cultivate their children's reading habits, they buy honey, smear it on books, and let the children taste the sweetness of the books" is basically a product of this.

Many teachers in China believe it to be true and even popularize it to students.

After hearing this, Following Xiao Fu thought to himself: Sure enough! Just as Brother Zu predicted!

Brother Zu, awesome!

Following Xiao Fu probed: "We can appropriately open up decision-making power, but I must have veto power. After all, this relates to the development direction of the television station; we cannot easily compromise."

Once these words were spoken, Johnson and White looked at each other, revealing a look of difficulty on their faces. Johnson waved his hand hurriedly:

"Mr. Li Fu, I'm afraid this won't work. Veto power means that our voice in key decisions is greatly weakened, which does not meet our original intention for acquisition. We are willing to increase our investment in connection resources and can also make concessions in other areas, but veto power is really hard to accept."

White also added: "Mr. Li Fu, you must understand that we came to negotiate with sincerity, hoping to reach a mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation. But veto power will bring great uncertainty to our cooperation; from a commercial perspective, this risk is too great for us."

Following Xiao Fu was unmoved and said firmly: "This is my bottom line. Only by having veto power can I ensure that the development of the television station will not deviate from our expectations." The atmosphere in the conference room suddenly fell into a stalemate.

Johnson: "Is there really no way to change it? I am willing to take out 10 million US dollars, only needing to obtain 10% of the television station's equity. This way, the television station will have a valuation of 100 million US dollars, and you will earn 20 million US dollars for nothing. And with our support, KTVU will obtain a large amount of news resources, advertising resources, and connection support in the future..."

In a word:

Money can be given!

But the reporting tendency must be given to Fox!

Following Xiao Fu shook his head: "Sorry, I will not waver on sovereignty!"

Johnson continued to increase the bid: "12 million US dollars, 10% equity!"

Following Xiao Fu shook his head: "Sorry!"

Johnson gritted his teeth: "15 million US dollars!"

Following Xiao Fu: "Sorry!"

The atmosphere was quiet.

(Note: This line appears to be a garbled placeholder or error in the source text.)

Johnson was silent for a while, stood up: "If that's the case... then it's a great pity..."

Following Xiao Fu sighed: "I am also very sorry... Actually, I admire Fox Broadcasting Company very much. If we could reach a deep cooperation with your company, it would undoubtedly be a rare development opportunity for KTVU, but decision-making power is really too important to us; it concerns the future direction of the television station, and I really cannot easily let go..."

Oh no, I've been with Brother Zu for too long.

I've even learned a bit of hypocrisy!

(Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu: Get out of here!!)

Soon,

The Johnson team left KTVU.

Got in the car and returned to the Fairmont Hotel.

Returned to the room,

Johnson made a call to his boss.

"Yes, the other party didn't agree. My extra money was useless. The other party values decision-making power very much. Even if I only want them to maintain the same position as us at critical moments, it won't work..."

"That's right, considering the other party's identity as a Chinese American, and their position is so firm... so, I think, the other party will definitely become our opponent in the future."

Boss: "Since that's the case, then list them as an opponent... Remember our principle: 'A little disloyalty is absolute disloyalty'!"

Johnson: "Yes!"

Boss: "Go and contact the alternative plan..."

In the San Francisco Bay Area, KTVU and KPIX are the two top-tier television stations.

Other television stations are small ones.

KPIX was acquired by CBS in 1948, and CBS and Fox have always been competitors. One is an old giant, and the other is a rapidly developing challenger.

The competitive conflict is irreconcilable.

Therefore, Fox can only choose a worse television station...

Boss: "Also, find an opportunity to deal with this KTVU..."

Johnson: "Yes!"

As for how to deal with a television station that isn't particularly powerful?

Johnson has many methods: poaching core talent, talent blockade, negative public opinion guidance, advertising resource competition...

Among them,

The three most convenient are:

1. Advertising resource competition (contact those advertising partners of KTVU and poach them.)

2. Poaching core talent (throw money and poach talent in the name of Fox)

3. Negative public opinion guidance (recently KTVU has been reporting a lot on the African American and Latino 'riots', and AIPAC launched a "Marginalized Population Project" in the 1980s, winning over many famous African American and Latino figures. They can be mobilized to incite African Americans and Latinos to smear KTVU.)

Johnson wrote and drew on paper and soon formulated a series of action plans.

At this time,

Hong Kong, it's still night.

Government House, the lights are bright.

TVB and ATV news are broadcasting news from Los Angeles.

"This riot lasted for 5 days and finally subsided; it can be said to have shocked the whole world."

"During this period, a total of 53 people died, and property damage was about 800 million to 1 billion US dollars..."

"Some American cities were affected by this riot and also experienced small-scale riots, such as Las Vegas, San Francisco, New York, Seattle, Chicago, and Phoenix..."

TVB and ATV have also been constantly reporting on the Los Angeles riots these past few days.

Among them, ATV's news had the most photos and videos and was the most detailed, making ATV's ratings exceed 90%...

The television was playing the news,

In the study, Fat Peng asked two secretaries: "Have you felt that Hong Kong has been much quieter recently..."

Cain: "It is indeed much quieter."

Lena: "Is it because Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu hasn't appeared for a long time?"

Fat Peng suddenly realized: "Oh, that's right, it's Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu! That fucking** hasn't appeared for a long time."

No wonder he felt that Hong Kong recently felt... a bit boring.

Boring?

No, no, no, this is quite good, peaceful!

Fat Peng hurriedly shook off that trouble-making thought.

However...

"Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu hasn't appeared during this time; Cain, you send someone to check where he went?"

"Is he plotting something again?"

Cain nodded and took the order: "Yes!"

Lena: "Boss, four days later (August 1st) we are going to the Imperial Capital..."

Fat Peng: "Hmm."

Now, everything that needs to be prepared is prepared.

At least in terms of public opinion, he publishes in the newspaper every day, which can be considered as completing the momentum building — look, public opinion is on my side!

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PS: Just found out, Nezha broke 10 billion, awesome!

(End of chapter)