Chapter 1381: Tradition

During these days in mid-to-late August, Simon traveled frequently between the east and west coasts.

Mainly after lengthy merger preparations and lobbying operations around federal regulation, America Online finally started the operation of the cable TV business, announcing that AOL has added a core business with great growth potential besides network services.

Stimulated by this positive news, in the few trading days after the news was officially announced on August 13, the accumulative increase in AOL’s stock price once exceeded 17% compared with the day the news was announced, and the highest market value once again reached a high of more than 260 billion U.S. dollars.

However, Simon understands that aol's long journey in the cable TV business may have just begun.

Speaking of which, the two giants of the Westeros system in the field of operators, AOL and Verizon, have not achieved impressive development in the past two years.

On the one hand, this is due to the restraint at the policy level, and on the other hand, it is also due to the interest tendency of the Westeros system platform channels to be inclined to service content.

At the policy level, aol and Verizon, one is the largest ISP provider in North America and even the world, and the other is the largest mobile communication service provider in North America. With their respective leading advantages in their respective fields, even if the regulation of the telecommunications industry in the United States has always been Both are being relaxed, but due to regulatory inertia, it is not so easy for the two companies to expand into other fields.

Simon and its executives have considered merging the two companies more than once.

As a result, after various evaluations, if the two companies really merge into a larger industry giant, they will only be more restrained.

Then there is the tendency of interest.

AOL's recent market cap is around $250 billion, and Verizon's is around $130 billion.

Standing there alone, both are undeniably jumbo-sized.

However, when the two are added together, the market value of about US$380 billion is still not as good as 70% of Eaglet, which has a current market value of US$560 billion.

After this pattern, it is actually Simon's preference for the content service field.

Whether it is AOL or Verizon, if you want to pursue higher profits and then reach a higher market value, there are many ways. However, for the development of content service businesses in the Internet field such as Eaglet, Simon took the initiative to make platform channel manufacturers such as AOL and Verizon make sacrifices, including continuous large-scale investment in infrastructure regardless of cost, and proactive cooperation with other ISP manufacturers. The interface is compatible to strengthen data exchange and other measures.

To put it more simply, AOL voluntarily gave up all kinds of monopoly advantages that it could have as the world's largest ISP service provider, and Dagong selflessly provided countless enterprises and users with an efficient and equal network platform.

Of course, this was not an initiative, but a forced request from Simon.

Similarly, Verizon is also following in the footsteps of AOL, such as the iberry mobile phone released by Tinkber this year. Because the initial business prospects are unpredictable and other mobile communication manufacturers are unwilling to invest funds and resources for technical adaptation, Or Verizon 'stepping up'.

Let's talk about AOL's entry into the cable TV business this time.

The industry generally regards it as a good thing, but if you are familiar with Simon's inner thoughts, you probably won't think so. Because of America Online's cable TV business, it is inevitable that it will still have to accommodate the layout of the Westeros system in the field of TV content.

New York.

The time is Wednesday, August 19th.

With the upcoming TV autumn season, Simon mainly participated in the review of the major TV programs that will be broadcast in September in the past two days.

Compared with movies, the updates of TV programs, especially popular programs, are still slow.

The core abc TV network, this year's main focus is still "American Idol". "American Idol", which started broadcasting in 1995, is coming to its fourth season this year. One of the most anticipated TV shows this fall is also expected to average around 30 million viewers.

On the other hand, coming to the fourth season, this year's "American Idol" has also undergone certain adjustments, mainly because of the change of the lineup of judges.

For popular reality shows, maintaining a stable lineup of judges is often a key to maintaining stable ratings. It is precisely because of this that many reality shows are almost bound to a small number of judges, making them inseparable.

Simon just doesn't like this state very much.

Therefore, even after the first three seasons, the four judges intend to continue, Simon still actively asks for a replacement of the judges lineup.

The purpose is to avoid binding effects.

Moreover, in doing so, apart from preventing the judges from sitting on the ground and raising prices, it is more important to take the initiative 100% in their own hands, preventing some judges who think they are the core from dictating the direction of the show, and further consolidating their own importance.

Doing so will of course pose a certain risk to the ratings, but it is also within the necessary tolerance.

Daenerys Entertainment East Coast headquarters on 66th Street on the Upper West Side.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, today's latest production meeting of the sitcom "Unexpected Susan" ended, and Simon rushed to a part of the headquarters building with Brooke Shields, the heroine of the series who took the initiative to entangle him. studio.

We're doing some live rehearsals for the new season of American Idol right here.

Today, Brooke Shields, who wore a simple white long dress, quietly sat in the auditorium of the studio with the man beside her, watching the bustling scene on the stage, even though this popular project has nothing to do with her, thinking of the past few months Come things, the heart is still

It is inevitable that there will be some waves.

After completely giving up the development of the film industry and moving to the TV industry, Brooke Shields has been busy on the East Coast in recent years with the "Unexpected Susan" project that she starred in. This year is the third season.

Maybe it will be the last season too.

Of course, "Unexpected Susan" certainly can't compare with the heyday of "American Idol".

Still talking about American Idol.

Given the popularity of the first three seasons of this TV show, everyone who paid attention initially guessed that with the arrival of the fourth season, the four judges who have been following up for three consecutive years will definitely be able to negotiate a very lucrative contract. No one thought that under such a good situation, abc would rashly change the lineup of judges.

Even with the thought of sitting on the ground and raising the price, the four judges who knew how much this show had brought to their popularity in the past three years never thought of tearing their faces apart. Then, following the news that abc officials were about to change the judges, the whole circle suddenly became undercurrents.

The four judges who bear the brunt were a little unbelievable at first.

Everyone is doing well, there is no reason to change people suddenly? !

However, it is to be replaced.

When it was confirmed that the decision was made by Simon Westero himself, the four judges lost their posture of sitting on the Diaoyutai, and instead became trembling. On the other hand, due to the overall decline of the recording industry, many musicians would not be too greedy to salivate over the "American Idol" judges' seat, which is well-paid and able to stabilize their popularity.

What followed was a chaotic battle.

All kinds of rumors aside, Brooke Shields has personally experienced two gossips surrounding the competition for "American Idol". One is that a certain female singer who is rumored to be expected to replace Jennifer Lopez paid to hire paparazzi to follow her The Latin queen's attempt to unearth the other party's black material resulted in a confrontation at a downtown bar where Shields happened to be hanging out with friends.

The other time was that two veteran actresses who belonged to the rank of big sister had a quarrel at a party about the judges, and finally broke up.

In short, many people almost broke their heads when the tall man beside him said a word.

The final outcome is that the original four judges became five, and of the first generation of four judges, only the unlucky Jennifer Lopez was eliminated and replaced by two Daenerys records, one male and one female. A teenage pop singer.

It is said that the youth market is considered.

In addition, in the second round of salary negotiations after the start of the third season, no one dared to speak up, and both parties renewed the contract amicably. The specific years are unknown to each of them. There are rumors in the circle that they all hope to sign at least three more. Years, unfortunately this time it's abc's turn to be unwilling.

Brooke Shields feels that after the fifth season, the lineup of judges will change.

As an artist who cooperates with a giant like abc, Brooke Shields is unavoidable. However, from the perspective of the man sitting next to him at this time, Brooke Shields has to admire his strong control over the North American media and entertainment industry force.

Just this time, Brooke Shields took the initiative to post it almost without any airs after the video conference, just to win some opportunities for herself.

In the eyes of outsiders, as a star, it seems that they should be very free. After all, their income is far higher than that of ordinary people. Under normal circumstances, they will not be short of money. How could they need to be low-key? It should be those film companies or TV stations that lowly beg them to act.

The truth is, there are indeed such big names who are begged for cooperation.

But definitely very few.

And it is often only a stage of acting career, and it cannot be permanent.

Most artists, even if you win an Oscar, even if you win consecutive Emmys, they still have to take the initiative to fight for opportunities.

Because fame and fortune are addictive.

Even if there is no shortage of money, most of the superstars and celebrities who have tasted the glamor of Vanity Fair, but they can't bear the feeling of silence after their coffee status has fallen and their popularity is no longer. It is more uncomfortable than death.

Besides, in front of Daenerys Entertainment, which is currently in full swing, any high-profile artist should not even think about putting on airs.

Or only one person can hold the airs.

That's Simon Westeros.

In the stands, when Brooke Shields, who was leaning towards the man, finally managed to lead a big hand to her thigh, the rehearsal on the stage was over, and the person in charge and several judges came together, and Brooke Shields Si could only resume sitting upright, and quickly stood up with the man.

For more than half an hour after that, Simon was discussing various details of the new season with the project leader of "American Idol", and the stage also resumed being busy.

And so on until closing time.

When Brooke Shields finally felt that she could leave and monopolize Simon Westeros for a little while, she was immediately surrounded by a group of people. Among them, Sister Cher's head was almost sticking to the man's body without any concealment. Brooke Shields will inevitably slander. Sister, we are two generations old.

Cher is also helpless.

Just like this time, if it wasn't for the key that Cisco found Robert Redford to help with the case, she would probably be wiped out with Jennifer Lopez. Having been in Hollywood for so many years, with ups and downs, and just experienced another peak in three years, Xueer can hardly imagine what it will be like to fall to the bottom again.

Is that still alive?

Therefore, since there is an opportunity, of course, we must do everything possible to establish a good relationship with this little man who makes all women envious.

ah.

Simon has always been a very sympathetic person, and of course he would not respond coldly to the initiative of sister Xueer: "Tonight, first a dinner invitation, and then a pop art exhibition, over there at the Museum of Modern Art , Cher, are you interested?"

"Of course," Xue'er nodded immediately, "I was still good friends with Andy back then. It's a pity that such a genius passed away early. By the way, Simon, is there any work by Andy tonight?"

The Andy here is of course the pop art master Andy Warhol, who died in 1987, when Simon just became famous that year, so naturally there will be no intersection. However, there are a lot of older Hollywood artists who have dealt with Andy Warhol.

Simon nodded when Xueer asked, "It must be, I don't know much about it."

Speaking of which, the exhibition was organized by Peter Brant, Stephanie Seymour's husband, publisher and collector, as a warm-up for Christie's Pop Art auction to be held on the weekend.

In the final analysis, it is still their own business, so Simon agreed to join in the fun.

Simon was ambiguous, but Xueer was determined, and then followed directly. The destination was the mansion of Peter Brant and Stephanie Seymour on the Upper East Side. The nominal inviters were the Brants. In fact, Simon It's more for the face of a certain supermodel. After all, the two sides had only had an intimate exchange when they were in Atlantic City last month.

As for just appearing in front of the woman's husband, Simon didn't feel guilty.

Perhaps Peter Brant could feel it himself, and he was still very warm to Simon throughout the evening.

This can be regarded as some kind of Western tradition.

It's probably like that. It's not too shameful for a wife to be slept by a big man.

Typically, Churchill's mother was the mistress of the King of England.

And, even in modern times, this sort of thing hasn't really changed much in the West.

For example, the later Jeff Bezos, if it wasn’t suddenly exposed by the media that he had slept with his wife, the old Bezos, who was still showing affection in the media a few months ago, would not have divorced, and the other couple, they might have a good life of.

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