funbook-pk Chapter 38 Whose Stepping Stone?
Chapter 38 Whose Stepping Stone?
The next evening, we went to the theater.
When Ren Pingsheng and Bai Ke arrived, a long queue had already formed at the entrance.
The Oriental Comedy Show has been open for three days, and its popularity has only increased.
After having their tickets checked and entering the venue, the two found seats in the front row.
Bai Ke looked around and muttered to himself, "Brother Pingsheng, is the meeting that President Yang mentioned going to be in the theater?"
"She's backstage; we'll talk after the show."
Ren Pingsheng's attention was not on these matters.
On stage, Lai Shengchuan's "The Village" is in its second act.
The lights were dim, and the actors told stories of the military dependents' village in Mandarin with a Taiwanese accent. Some people in the audience laughed, while others wiped away tears.
Ren Pingsheng read it very carefully.
It wasn't because the acting was good, but because he was observing the audience.
The people sitting in the front row were mostly from the cultural and media circles; their jokes were spot-on, and their applause was restrained.
But the reactions in the middle and back rows were noticeably different; they laughed louder and were more easily distracted, with several young audience members already looking down at their phones.
This is where the problem lies.
The barrier to entry for comedy is decreasing, but the barrier to entry for traditional stage plays is increasing.
After the show ended, Bai Ke followed Ren Pingsheng around to the backstage passage.
A woman in a black dress was already waiting there.
Yang Yuancao is very thin, but she has a strong presence and her eyes are very bright.
"Director Ren, I've finally met you in person." Yang Yuancao extended her hand, her tone warm but not exaggerated.
"Mr. Yang, you're too kind."
The three of them didn't stay backstage for long. Yang Yuancao led them to a quiet Japanese restaurant next to the theater.
Once the door to the private room was closed, all the noise outside was shut out.
After exchanging no more than three pleasantries, Yang Yuancao got straight to the point.
"Director Ren, Ni Ni relayed your suggestion to me regarding the angle of entry for the global marketing special fund. To be honest, in all my years in the copyright business, I've never thought of that direction before."
Ren Pingsheng picked up a piece of salmon: "President Yang is too modest. That idea was just a stepping stone. American capitalists won't hand over their money just because of a few words. At most, they're giving you the opportunity to continue the conversation."
Yang Yuancao's smile faded slightly.
"You're right, Mr. Shi has agreed, but we're still waiting for a response from global headquarters. So, in order to make this happen, I think it's necessary to fly to Cincinnati and talk to Lafley in person."
She put down her chopsticks and placed her hands crossed on the table. "But before I go, I need to confirm one thing."
"A TV station?" Ren Pingsheng asked incisively.
Yang Yuancao gave a wry smile, picked up her wine cup, and took a sip.
"The Chinese version of 'China's Got Talent' has been in talks since 08. I approached all the top TV stations, such as Hunan and Jiangsu, that could meet the production standards of the copyright holder, but they all rejected me."
"Hunan TV said they have a planned talent show, while Jiangsu TV said they are preparing a new program and have no resources allocated to it."
Yang Yuancao's tone revealed a hint of helplessness.
Ren Pingsheng held his teacup, outwardly calm, but inwardly he was perfectly clear-headed.
If you think these TV stations rejected a globally popular hit program because they were stupid or out of touch with the times, then you are seriously underestimating these shrewd people who have climbed to the top of provincial TV stations.
Since the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television issued a notice in 07 to regulate talent shows, any variety show containing advancement and elimination rules, regardless of whether the contestants are amateurs or celebrities, must apply to the State Administration for a one-time license in order to be broadcast during prime time.
Moreover, each satellite TV station can only be approved for one talent show per year in principle!
There are strict regulations regarding the number of episodes, duration, live broadcast, and competition area.
In its previous life, because the finale of the fourth season of "I Am a Singer" ran overtime, Mango TV had its talent show license revoked for the following year, forcing it to revamp the show as "Singer" and withdraw from prime time.
At this point in time, these TV stations can't even take care of their own programs.
Super Girl and Super Boy need to alternate every other year. After the Waterloo of Super Girl last year, they are now putting all their energy into next year's Super Boy. How could they possibly waste their only talent show license on an imported program?
Jiangsu Satellite TV is fully preparing for the highly anticipated hit show "If You Are the One".
As for Zhejiang TV, it is still immersed in the extremely safe local music program "I Love Lyrics" and has no intention of crossing the red line of talent shows.
"What did Dragon TV say?" Ren Pingsheng asked calmly, pulling himself out of his thoughts.
"They felt that since the program's concept wasn't really protected by copyright under law, they could just copy it, so why spend over two million to buy the copyright?"
Yang Yuancao rubbed her temples. "Moreover, they used Shandong TV's 'China's Got Talent,' which was created by copying 'China's Got Talent,' as an example, saying that the ratings were terrible and the risks were too great."
She looked up, her gaze fixed intently on Ren Pingsheng. "Director Ren, you have an extremely keen sense for the domestic market. Do you think that if I get P&G's money, Dragon TV will give in?"
"Didn't Ni Ni tell you that in the meeting?"
Ren Pingsheng smiled and said, "Just talk about the Shanghai World Expo and the talent show together. Dragon TV has a much heavier task than P&G. They are responsible for the political task of promoting the World Expo nationwide."
"They might have had concerns about costs before, but now that you've even solved their funding problems, they have no reason to refuse."
After hearing this, Yang Yuancao's brows relaxed a little, but she still felt somewhat uncertain.
After all, she had been turned away far too many times when dealing with state-run television stations.
"That..."
"Mr. Yang, you can go with peace of mind."
Ren Pingsheng put down his teacup. "Dragon TV still has a vacancy for a talent show. 'Super Boy' has been suspended for two years. They're actually more anxious than anyone else."
"Previously, no one dared to make a decision at this particular time because the risks were too great. Now that you have the money and the name of the World Expo, the door will definitely open."
Ren Pingsheng paused for a moment, then said, "If we encounter any obstacles, Mr. Yang, please contact me."
These words were extremely righteous.
Yang Yuancao was deeply moved by Ren Pingsheng's vision and loyalty. She raised her glass and sincerely toasted Ren Pingsheng.
"Director Ren, if this works out, IPCN will owe you a favor."
The meal was a pleasant one for both host and guests.
After parting ways at the entrance of the Japanese restaurant, Yang Yuancao hurried away, preparing to work through the night to gather negotiation materials for her trip to Dragon TV.
Bai Ke stood on the street, watching the van drive away, feeling somewhat sentimental.
"Brother Pingsheng, you know too much. You even know the inside story of the TV station's talent show licenses and the World Expo promotion tasks. You've really done President Yang a big favor this time."
Ren Pingsheng stood in the night breeze of Shanghai, his hands in his pockets, looking at the neon lights on the other side of the Huangpu River.
Should I help her solve this?
It has indeed been resolved.
However, the suggestions given could only open the door to Dragon TV.
He is neither a spendthrift nor a selfless saint.
Why would he be so interested if there's no benefit to be gained?
Yang Yuancao has been living abroad for many years and has no idea about the way things are done within the system, or the intricacies involved.
But doesn't Ren Pingsheng understand this?
Once Yang Yuancao takes P&G's money and enters Dragon TV, she will discover that the real quagmire has only just begun.