2001 Media Godfather

Chapter 41 You Can't Afford to Pay
2276!
This external liaison director, who stepped in to save the day, accomplished something truly remarkable.

"My God!" Dong Wende scratched his gray hair vigorously. He was just a cameraman and didn't know how to do detailed calculations, but he knew that this drama might cause a huge uproar.

He shoved Lu Mingze aside and opened the car door for Zhang Junmei, saying, "Quickly! Let Director Zhang get out of the car and get some fresh air."

After serving them, he cautiously asked, "More than two thousand companies? How much money did you get back?"

Zhang Junmei, "Guess."

Dong Wende said, "I won't guess, how would I know?" But he couldn't help but ask, "Is it forty million?"

He knew that Ningyuan sold for 20,000; if all of them were sold for that price, it would be over 40 million.

Zhang Junmei smiled slightly, "Sixty-seven million!"

Amidst the stunned gazes of everyone, Zhang Junmei said, "Originally, our sales staff couldn't possibly visit all these TV stations."

"However, the teams that went to the coastal provinces and the economically developed inland areas completed their missions in less than a week."

The crowd was puzzled. "Isn't that too fast?"

Zhang Junmei had already been invited inside, and Director Lu personally poured her water. "Less than a week? That's a bit of an exaggeration!"

Zhang Junmei waved her hand, "It's not an exaggeration at all, and that's considered slow. Their thinking is completely different from ours!"

"It's like we agreed beforehand. We asked for 20,000, and they offered 100,000 or 200,000 directly, but they demanded that we not sell to them in the few counties where their TV signals could cover."

"As a result, as soon as we left, their salesperson went to the next county to attract investment and sell advertising space!"

Everyone was stunned. "That's why people say coastal areas are developed; they know how to do business."

Zhang Junmei nodded, "The highest-paying station offered 500,000. I talked to the station manager later."

"They said they could even give us all the advertising revenue from this show. Not for any other reason than to take this opportunity to attract advertising sponsorships from surrounding counties, build a reputation in the surrounding towns, and then slowly make money later."

"In this way, although there are only more than 2000 stores, it actually covers 99% of administrative regions below the county level. It's no exaggeration to say that 8 million farmers across the country can watch our shows!" He added, "And residents of county towns too."

It's quite amazing, really. None of the people here are unsophisticated, but they can't get enough of listening to Zhang Junmei recount the details.

More than 6 million! What does that mean? Last year's top drama was completely overshadowed.

Lu Mingze got a little cocky. "So I'm this awesome? I can even make a hit drama just by switching to campus dramas?"

But then I thought again, oh no!

He slapped his thigh, startling everyone. "Those bastards at Shengjing TV cut my show into such a terrible mess. Won't it get a lot of flak if it airs?"

Everyone rolled their eyes, thinking, "You'd better shut up."

Ji Yinglai didn't mince words, "When the camera is on, the whole crew will listen to you, but off-camera, you should take a break."

He thought to himself, "If it weren't for Chu Shikuai, would you still be thinking about selling the house? You wouldn't be where you are today."
He looked at Chu An, as if to say, "At such an important moment, aren't you going to say something?"

There's not much to say about Chu An's side.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't excited. Two lifetimes, two different time periods, and he's the only one who's accomplished something like this; he should be proud of it.

but……

Lu Mingze's concerns were not entirely unfounded.

The money was made, but ultimately, what determines whether the show is good or not is not them, nor the more than 60 million yuan, but the audience.

I can't put my mind at ease until it airs.

Taking a deep breath, he said, "Now we'll see how the market reacts."

"Whether it's selling a pile of shit for an exorbitant price or creating a true legend, the final decision rests with the audience!"

Upon hearing this, everyone expressed their opinions.

Dong Wende was the most direct: "I have confidence in the film!"

Brother Lai also said, "No problem."

As for Ma Lan and others, needless to say, the memorable quotes and famous lines that Chu An uttered in the show were enough to pique the audience's interest.

Just as everyone was united in their efforts, Lu Mingze blurted out, "I have no confidence! Because Shengjing TV didn't edit it properly for me."

Everyone scattered, not wanting to pay him any attention.

……

On October 8th, Ningyuan TV, which had been airing pirated Hong Kong films for nearly a week during its 10 PM primetime slot, finally released a trailer for a new drama.

Actually, it's not just Ningyuan TV that's adjusting its schedule by using pirated Hong Kong films. The first batch of county-level TV stations that signed contracts with the production teams have all been showing movies recently in order to adjust their schedules.

As for those county-level TV stations that have just signed contracts a few days ago, they have ways to deal with the reruns of dramas that they haven't finished airing.

There's a TV station in your province that's been acting crazy ever since they signed the contract and confirmed the time when they'd receive the first and second integrated circuits.

The newly launched TV series airs six episodes a day, running until late at night.

Which weekly dramas don't affect regular broadcast schedules?
That won't do! You can't let those old movies that have been shown countless times ruin the viewing experience of the premiere.

For county-level TV stations, the premiere is a major event that must be taken seriously.

Before they even got the master copy, they started showing trailers. They played one at 6 PM, another before the evening news, another after the news, another at 8 PM, and yet another at 9 PM.

We must let everyone in the county know that Director Lu's drama is being broadcast here!
As for the trailer, county-level TV stations certainly don't have the editing capabilities; the production team paid Shengjing TV to edit it.

In the trailer:

The overwhelming youthful energy, the exquisitely detailed picture quality, and the youthful beauty of Xu Shu, the nation's sweetheart, all tell the audience one thing—

This is a truly big-budget production!

Of course, the most outstanding one was the "little actor" I'd never seen before, humming a song that was just asking for trouble.

"I don't have any grand ambitions, like wanting to marry seven or eight wives."

The audience smiled knowingly, "These young people nowadays really dare to think big."

Some viewers, however, looked at Chu An's face with a puzzled expression.

An older woman said, "Isn't this Xiao An from the Chu family?"

……

A truant high school student: "Chu An from Class 4? Zhao Yang was telling the truth! He really is the lead actor?"

……

The blond-haired internet cafe manager was the most baffled, saying, "Isn't he always cursing my son? How the hell does he have time to be the male lead?"

Regardless of the reaction of those in Ningyuan who knew Chu An, many county-level TV stations broadcast the trailer...

It's great, and I'm really looking forward to it. Director Lu's new drama is premiering on a local channel, so I'll definitely be there to support it.

But why does it feel so awkward?! You say the beautiful picture quality and captivating editing, coupled with the county TV station's mediocre announcer's narration:

"Good soil, good fertilizer, good harvest—choose All-in-One for farming! The drama 'With You' is exclusively sponsored by All-in-One Fertilizer."

Just one word—

earth!
It's a bit of a downgrade for Director Lu's image.

……

Tiandu Headquarters.

Shengjing can't receive signals from the county-level TV stations below; everyone watches cable TV, so there's not a single channel broadcasting Lu Mingze's new drama.

This made Liang Guoliang very worried about Lu Mingze!
You said you put in all your effort, but none of the dozens of channels in Shengjing broadcast it. What's the point of filming it then?
But Mr. Liang was curious: how well did the film turn out?

So, he went to great lengths to get a trailer for the new drama from Yanjiao TV, and they even burned it onto a CD and delivered it to him.

With a heavy heart, I inserted the CD into the computer.

then……

"【Men, don't worry about health problems, urology hospitals can solve your worries!】The drama 'With You' highly recommends the Second Urology Hospital of Dachang County, wishing you to regain your masculine vigor!"

"Hahahaha!!" President Liang almost laughed himself crazy.

CCTV also received a notification from the production team, saying that they would send the sample episodes of the first two episodes to CCTV in a couple of days.

During the interview, Director Lu mentioned that the premiere would be on October 13th, and that Dachang and Mentougou TV stations, which are closest to Shengjing, would also be broadcasting it.

CCTV leaders also learned some information from the industry, knowing that it was a weekly drama and that because CCTV wanted to see the sample episodes, Lu Mingze almost gave up the possibility of making a profit from "The Best of Us" and chose to premiere it on a county-level TV station.

But the leaders never expected it to be so fast. Wasn't filming supposed to start in early September? It's only been a little over a month, and it's already airing?
Out of curiosity, I called the big company and asked for the trailer.

I brought it back and put it away, and I was both amused and exasperated. It was from a men's health clinic...

"It seems that Xiao Lu has been forced into a corner."

Ignoring the low-quality advertisements and only watching the trailers makes the leaders feel even more regretful.

"This show is really well made!" In every aspect, it's top-tier among urban dramas.

I thought to myself, I'll wait for the sample episodes to arrive before watching them. If the story and overall effect can maintain the quality of the trailer, then CCTV should accept it. Such a good drama shouldn't be buried by a small TV station.

Tian Du could only raise doubts for CCTV: Could Lu Mingze really film a good urban fashion drama?

Once the doubts are dispelled, CCTV will still be CCTV. Securing the first broadcast rights will still be no problem.

The leader is well-versed in the art of balance. He can't be too harsh on a talented creator like Lu Mingze. He gives him a price that's neither too high nor too low, allowing him to recoup some of his costs so that it will be easier for them to get along when they meet again for the next project.

……

On October 13, "The Best of Us" premiered on county-level television stations across the country.

Chu An's mesmerizing singing voice resounded throughout cities and rural areas below the prefecture level.

On October 14, CCTV finally received the sample footage sent by the production team.

The purchasing director personally reviewed the discs but couldn't make up his mind, so he sent the discs to the station director's office.

After reading it, the station director pondered for a long time.

As an expert, he could tell the difference between weekly and daily dramas at a glance.

The only comment given was, "Xiao Lu has truly grasped the essence of weekly dramas!"

These two episodes alone are excellent in terms of visuals and campus atmosphere. Lu Mingze continues his expertise in this area, and it can be said to be the pinnacle of his recent works.

The key to the leader's admiration lies in the intricately woven and captivating plot structure.

The purchasing director only dared to express his opinion after the leadership had reached a conclusion: "This is a groundbreaking work, and even more so, a game-changer that pioneered weekly broadcasting!"

"Perhaps ten or twenty years from now, when talking about campus dramas or weekly dramas, it will be hard to avoid mentioning 'With You'."

These words made the leader frown even more deeply.

CCTV originally had the opportunity to be the first to handle this drama, and such a pioneering work should have been launched on CCTV.

The decision was made immediately: "Contact Xiao Lu right away and tell him not to suffer at that small station anymore. CCTV will take this film!"

After a moment's thought, I said, "Give him 45 per episode!"

This price is on par with last year's "The Stormy Era of the Republic of China," demonstrating CCTV's sincerity.

Upon hearing this, the film purchasing manager exclaimed, "I'll get on it right away!"

"Come back!" the leader called out to him. After a moment of silence, he laughed heartily. "Forget it! Because of our overthinking, he lost money making the film. I'll make that call!"

The top leader personally contacted Lu Mingze, giving Lu a lot of face.

The call connected. "Xiao Lu, we've seen the sample footage. You really have the talent to back it up!"

"Okay, let's cancel the broadcast on the smaller channel! Come to CCTV, and I'll give you the highest price for a premiere."

Lu Mingze was filming when he received a call suspending the production. His superior's words filled him with trepidation.

only.
With a pained expression, he said, "Director, I really can't give it to you anymore, it's all been sold."

Upon hearing this, the leader thought to himself, "Why is this young Lu so insensible? Is he throwing a tantrum at me?"
"It's just a few county-level TV stations' breach of contract fees, right? CCTV will cover that cost for you!"

Lu Mingze wasn't petty at all; he subtly inquired, "Don't you use the internet much?"

The leader said, "That kind of thing is for young people, I'll pass."

Lu Mingze said, "Why don't you go online and take a look?" Afraid that his superior wouldn't understand, he added, "The internet is quite lively."

This made them very impatient. "Just say what you want to say, why are you beating around the bush with me?!"

"Fine!" Lu Mingze dropped the pretense. "CCTV can't afford to pay for this!"

"I signed contracts with over 2,000 TV stations and sold them for 67 million! Add in advertising revenue sharing and other fees, and the penalties for breach of contract will amount to hundreds of millions!"

The landline receiver slipped from the leader's hand with a clatter, and Lu Mingze's voice could still be faintly heard through the receiver:

"Then what..."

"Does CCTV want 'You Are My Glory' or not? If not, I'll sell it!"

……

.

Sorry, I kept deleting and re-editing, it's getting late.

(End of this chapter)