America 1982

Although it will take a week at the earliest for the ratings data to be given by the third-party ratings survey company commissioned by BT TV itself. Of course, although the ratings have not been released, all BT TV employees have already determined that their ratings will be released on the second day after the broadcast. The station has a reputation, or to put it another way, a reputation.

Because the TV station's four external contact telephones have almost never been disconnected from last night to noon of the next day. When the two customer service telephones on duty last night were handed over in the morning, they looked better than those who made money by relying on ventriloquism all night at the civilian club. Women who have money for men are even more tired.

As for why you have to spend extra money to get the ratings data? Of course, this is because the large ratings companies in the United States have no interest in wasting energy on cable TV channels with less than 10 million subscribers, or free TV networks with less than 150 partner TV stations.

Therefore, BT TV Network, which is still one-third short of the hard target of 150 cooperative TV stations, if it wants to find out its own TV station's viewing data, it can only pay extra to ask them to help investigate.

The phone calls are busy because of the popularity of the show.

All the calls last night were from enthusiastic viewers asking how to sign up for various reality shows. A large number of single mothers were very interested in how to get on the show "Daddy America", and many young black people called asking. How to buy the video tape of the program "Almighty Gun Master"? They want to collect it.

Except for the six or seven calls that started coming in this morning, they were from several advertisers who wanted to discuss advertising cooperation business and asked for quotations. The rest were all from the FCC (full name: United States), which holds the power of life and death in the television industry. Basically every ten minutes or so, the FCC’s outreach department at its Washington headquarters would call BT TV station in California.

reason? Very simply, as the competent authority, the FCC is obliged to notify BT TV station that viewers should call the FCC to complain about BT TV station.

According to the relevant regulations of the US television industry, after receiving a complaint, the FCC needs to contact BT TV station without revealing any information about the audience, and clearly inform BT TV station of the basic information such as which program the audience complained about and what the reason is.

In the words of the FCC secretary responsible for calling, BT received 167 complaint calls in the morning. As a completely unknown new TV network, BT can already feel guilty.

Even the secretary couldn't help but curiously asked BT's telephone customer service, what exactly did BT TV show the audience, so that a simple matter of pressing the button on the remote control and changing the TV station to watch if they didn't like it developed into the audience deliberately browsing the phone book to inquire FCC complaint hotline, call the phone and leave a message to complain.

However, the FCC will not cause trouble for BT TV station just because it receives a complaint call. As long as BT TV station does not violate the law, even if the viewer calls the complaint phone until the bill is arrears, it will not help.

Although there was no need to worry about legal liability, Rick Luthor and his programming team were still shocked by the number of 167 complaint calls. Rick was already preparing to hold a department meeting with the gang members. Let’s reflect on whether the scale of self-made programs is really too exaggerated, which led to this situation.

At the same time, should we consider tightening the scale?

But before the department meeting could be held, Rick received a call from Sophia in the office. Sophia told him that Tommy asked Rick to take his people to the conference room.

"The boss seemed very unhappy because Sophia emphasized it, and Tommy told her, let's go to the conference room. I think our program may have gone too far." Rick picked up the notebook and called on his subordinates to catch up. Going to the conference room, he said a reminder: "So, be mentally prepared."

When a group of people entered the conference room, Tommy's face was full of mockery. He sat in the main seat and deliberately applauded them: "Welcome, welcome..."

"Sorry, Tommy, it's my fault." Rick's first words when he sat down were to take all the responsibility on himself: "I should have realized earlier that this would bring a lot of social pressure to you. It doesn’t matter much, they just did what I told them to do, so if you want to find someone to settle the score with, I’m the most suitable person.”

Tommy looked around at the troops that Rick had formed, and listened to Rick's words expressionlessly: "Otherwise, who should I go to? Of course it's your responsibility, Rick, you and your people let me down so much. "I have never been so disappointed by anyone I worked with in the computer industry."

"Those programs were produced only after you approved them, Mr. Hawke." A woman under Rick heard the dissatisfaction in Tommy's tone and saw that her boss Rick just lowered his head and said nothing, and she mustered up the courage to replace him. K argued.

Tommy looked at the brave woman dissatisfied: "I'm not denying it. Of course, it needs my approval before it can be made. Not only that, but I also need to pay money before it can be made, madam, but that's not the reason for you to screw up!"

He lightly tapped the table with his fingers, signaling Rick to raise his head and look at him.

Rick raised his head and looked at Tommy. Tommy stared at him and seriously expressed his suspicion: "Are you sure you really worked at Live Color Film Company? Is your resume fake?"

As this question came out, everyone in the conference room, including Rick and below, raised their heads and looked at Tommy in surprise, because Tommy's question seemed to have strayed from the topic. It seemed that the focus now should not be on whether Rick had any No small films have been made.

"The performance at the launch made me doubt your work experience, Rick. One hundred and sixty-seven complaints. This is the result you and your colleagues handed over to me. It is a piece of shit!" Tommy Seeing everyone staring at him, he continued.

Rick nodded without denying: "Of course it is a piece of shit. I was planning to have a meeting with them to reflect..."

"Of course you have to reflect on why there are only 167 complaint calls! Look at how beautiful the FOX TV network was when it was launched. There were more than 700 complaint calls, not counting the protests that broke out in about 20 cities specifically against FOX TV. Public demonstrations on the Internet that violated the moral standards of TV programs. I have always believed that BT TV programs are more exciting and cooler than FOX programs. Reality gave me a loud slap in the face and made me wake up. One hundred and sixty-seven, This number makes me embarrassed to show it off to my friends." Tommy said with indignation before Rick could finish.

Rick and his people stared blankly at the angry Tommy. They thought Tommy was angry because he had received too many complaint calls. But now they discovered that their boss was because the complaint calls did not exceed FOX. The number of complaints about the broadcast made him angry that he did not receive the title of TV station owner who received the most complaints during the broadcast.

Rick opened his mouth, and he just said the other person's name several times without knowing what to say: "Tommy... soup... Tommy..."

"Tell me, what is the result of your reflection, and why there are only one hundred and sixty-seven complaint calls from viewers. Are you all ready to become holy righteous Americans?" Tommy took a sip of coffee and asked impatiently.

The woman who spoke bravely before reacted the fastest. She realized that her boss and all her colleagues had misjudged the reason for the boss's anger, so she quickly adjusted her words and spoke:

"Uh... Mr. Hawke, we haven't had a formal meeting to discuss it yet, but the result of the private discussion among the few of us is that considering the first day of broadcasting, we were not sure about the audience's taste, so we chose a relatively conservative program arrangement. In fact, We had some ideas before, such as putting a big plot in the first issue of "The Wife Swap Game" and letting the woman flirt with her new husband and sleep in the same bed. But, as I said, we were afraid of the audience. We couldn't accept this kind of plot, so we made a conservative arrangement, and the same was true for other programs. We all..."

"Those complaint calls are the best medal for TV people. You could have left your mark in history...but unfortunately, you missed such a precious opportunity." After hearing the other party's explanation, Tommy joked regretfully:

"Just like Johnny Hyde missed Marilyn Monroe, as an agent, he created this American beauty who stunned the world. He loved Monroe as much as you love these shows, and he would not hesitate to marry her and sleep with her. His wife abandoned his son, but it was a small mistake that made him regret it for the rest of his life. In Monroe's life, there were probably more than a hundred men who slept with her like prostitutes. Unfortunately, there was no Johnny Hyde among those more than a hundred men. He has done the hardest work and licked the goddess all his life, but he is unknown. Do you understand? There is nothing to brag about. It is nothing more than bragging that he discovered Marilyn Monroe. So what, in the United States, You can walk into any bar late at night and you'll hear at least three drunks bragging about having sex with Marilyn Monroe."

"In the future, you can only be like Johnny Hyde, bragging that those wonderful programs are created by you, but... that's it, BT will continue to grow in the future, and other outstanding employees will join, and they will also be responsible for these programs , what can you say to them? That we didn’t break the Australian TV station complaint record when we launched!”

"Tell them, when we first started broadcasting, we couldn't compete with the three American TV networks in depth, and we couldn't compete with the Australian TV network in crazy, so in the 3P position, BT could only be caught in the middle and be fucked by both sides. , ecstasy? The ones on the left and right are the ones who are ecstatic, and the BT in the middle can only be miserable and want to die."

"Be Tale Crazy, this slogan is not printed on the wall for those who visit the TV station. It is used to remind you all the time that BT TV station believes in crazy. You can't live without being crazy." Tommy took out a cigarette and held it in his mouth. I ordered one:

"The programs of BT TV station can only have two results when presented to the audience. One is to make the audience watch hard and make their blood boil. The other is to scare the audience into softness and spit out fragrance. There is no third way, so don't give it to me again. These half-hard pieces of shit.”

"Tommy, Wolf from SBG is here to see you." Sophia gently knocked on the door panel at the door of the conference room, interrupting Tommy's angry and vulgar meeting.

"Did you hear that, my best black friend came to see me, and he came to laugh at you just because you allowed BT TV station to receive only 167 complaint calls, because if he had not resigned, he would be better than you now. Get more medals. He is here to remind you that he can take over your work at any time." Tommy stood up and walked out, twirling his fingers at his temples as he walked and looking at Rick:

"Rick, use your ingenuity in working in a small film company and come up with more good programs that attract audiences. You are a fucking talent who can sell small films to Christians! Use your brain!"

"I will, boss." After Tommy left, Rick exhaled with relief. He closed his eyes and thought for a while, then raised his head and looked at his companion who cast his eyes on him:

"Tonight, "Battle of Three Thousand Green Hairs", which was used to increase audience participation, has been suspended. Instead, one more episode of "Nigger Boss" will be broadcast to fill the vacant time. Meghan, take the reality show plan that we passed and go to the production company. , if they refuse to produce it because it is too vulgar, let Living Color Company help us complete the filming work."

"We passed many plans, which one?" The woman who had been brave enough to argue with Tommy for Rick asked.

"The show is tentatively named "Immoral"." Rick stood up and walked out of the conference room.

Everyone in the room took a breath of air-conditioning. The woman named Megan shrugged, quickly packed up her notebook and stood up, chasing Rick away, reminding her colleagues as she walked:

"Everyone, be prepared for your career to be completely insulated from the Emmy Awards."

…

Tommy opened the door to his office. Wolf Tucker was sitting on the sofa, flipping through a "Time" magazine. When he saw Tommy walking in, he stood up and hugged Tommy.

"You'd better not come to congratulate me, Wolfe." After Tommy let go of the other party, he did not sit back on the chair behind the desk, but sat directly on the desk, looking at his black friend with a wry smile.

Wolfe could be regarded as his mentor when he joined the television industry. He told him many secrets about the television industry, the industry's unanimous rules, hidden power, hidden order, etc. Without the advice from Wolfe, an orthodox TV industry talent, Tang would have It is impossible for Mi to take the wrong approach so easily and create the BT TV network.

Of course, there is no need for Wolf to know why he created such a BT television network.

"What? I can't congratulate your TV network on its launch?" Wolfe sat back on the sofa, looked at Tommy, whom he hadn't seen for a long time, and said with a smile.

"The broadcast started last night, and today my secretary told me that I received a call from the FCC. Congratulations to BT for receiving 167 calls complaining that the program was vulgar and made viewers uncomfortable. I was just in a meeting with the team responsible for programming. , I asked them what went wrong? One hundred and sixty-seven complaint calls, are you proud? This achievement caught me off guard!" Tommy lowered his head and rubbed his hands in frustration, then raised his head and looked at Wolf :

"Do you believe it? I have never been complained by so many people since I was a child."

"It's not your fault, Tommy. TV stations that have the highest ratings all have a similar style. They use eye-catching and vulgar programs to attract viewers, and then earn advertising fees from advertisers. There seems to be nothing wrong with this. When FOX started broadcasting, There have been dozens of demonstrations." Seeing Tommy's uninterested expression, Wolfe could no longer say the words he wanted to question. Instead, he came over, patted Tommy on the shoulder, and comforted him in a gentle tone:

"Looking at the bright side, your employees are working hard to help you earn wealth, and judging from my perspective as an industry insider, these programs of yours will definitely be favored by advertisers."

Tommy slowly moved his head. He was silent for a long time before raising his head: "But you know, I have never thought about making money from the TV station. If I want to make money, there is no need to do this. I just need to go back to Silicon Valley." I don’t do it for money, Wolf, I do it to realize the value of life by easily earning who knows how much more money than advertising fees.”

"I know." Wolfe looked at Tommy, sighed, and slowly returned to the sofa and sat down: "Also, no matter how many viewers call to complain, there is no need to worry, as long as there is no prohibition by law."

Tommy grinned at Wolfe: "So, you encourage me to continue doing this? God, I was so angry when I saw those shows last night, that's why I just yelled at those people in the conference room , they don’t understand what TV is at all!”

"I'm not encouraging you, I'm just comforting you. I hope you can cheer up. It's not without its benefits. Although the style of the program means that BT will not be able to compete with the three major TV networks for ratings, but from another perspective, the audience of FOX TV network may No one can resist the temptation of these programs on BT," Wolfe said with a smile.

Tommy was silent for a while, as if he had made up his mind, and looked at Wolfe seriously: "Come back, Wolfe. Without you, I'm just like a fly running around. Do you remember? We said it before, Sooner or later, one day, I, as the best TV station owner, and you, as the best TV producer, will go to the Emmy Awards together to win all the awards we can win. If you are not here, how can I win? "Looking" America" ​​or "Wife Swap Game."

Sophia personally delivered two cups of coffee. When she heard Tommy's words, she frowned slightly. She did not shy away from Wolfe and reminded her on the spot: "Tommy, let me remind you that the TV station has just started broadcasting. It is extremely unwise to make major personnel adjustments. And it is irresponsible behavior, and as far as I know, Earl has gone to negotiate business with several large advertisers today. Although there are some scale issues with the programs he approved, from a business perspective..."

"I said, I'm not short of money, Sophia, and I didn't deny the achievements of Earl and others, but there seemed to be problems with their understanding. I told them the central idea of ​​the program "Lamplighter", and then they Based on this central idea, I handed over the answer to "Looking for Dad America"." Tommy took the coffee, put it next to him, and said helplessly.

"Sofia is right, Tommy, the broadcast has just started. Any personnel adjustment will cause a huge emotional chain reaction among employees, especially when the feedback from the advertising business is not bad. If you persist, the employees below will panic because they will not You know what you did wrong by helping the company make money, and why you were adjusted or fired. This is impulsive and undesirable behavior." Wolfe took the coffee from Sophia and also persuaded Tommy.

Hearing what Wolfe said, Tommy lowered his head in frustration, but soon he raised his head again: "You are right, you really shouldn't blame these employees who work hard to help the company make money, but I have another Idea, Wolfe."

"What?" Wolfe was drinking coffee. Hearing Tommy's words, he raised his head and looked at Tommy.

Tommy said with a sincere expression: "We will bypass BT and follow the previous preparation procedures. You and your team will build a new TV network for our original common ideal."

All the so-called homemade variety shows and dramas that appear in the book were not thought up by the author. They were all designed by American TV giants. I just borrowed them for use. The author's moral values ​​and imagination cannot think of such exaggerations. gameplay.