Chapter 217: Settled
Chapter 217: Settled
Murdoch wore a sincere smile as he said, “Eric, everyone knows Nielsen is responsible for television ratings statistics.”
“Nielsen is a commercial market research company. Its existence is also for making money, isn’t it?” Eric immediately shot back without courtesy.
Since it was a commercial company, then as long as sufficient profit existed, altering data was an easy matter. Especially in this era, when television ratings statistics methods were still rather outdated, there was even more room for manipulating ratings data.
“Mr. Murdoch, since you already agreed to my conditions just now, why not be a little more straightforward? That way, we can cooperate more pleasantly in the future as well.”
Murdoch silently cursed.
This matter could very likely concern future control over Fox Television Network itself. How could he possibly be straightforward about it?
If Eric had not cornered him with that move just now, Murdoch would never have agreed no matter what.
But now he knew that since he had already fallen into a disadvantage during that previous exchange, and his subsequent small schemes had all been seen through and rejected by Eric one after another, while the boy continued pressing forward step by step, then he would very likely have no choice but to hand over this 10% stake.
Because even now, he still did not know where Eric’s true bottom line lay.
He could not determine whether Eric would truly risk breaching the contract and transfer Friends to another network. Nor did he know the exact conditions the other three major networks had offered Eric.
But conversely, Eric had already thoroughly grasped his thinking.
From the moment he nodded in agreement earlier, Eric had already known that even if it meant introducing another major shareholder, Murdoch absolutely would not allow Fox to lose Friends.
That point alone had already given Eric absolute dominance in this confrontation.
Since he could no longer undo things, Murdoch naturally wanted to secure as many benefits as possible.
At the end of the day, as someone whose desire for control was no weaker than Eric’s, even if Eric’s Firefly became the second-largest shareholder of Fox Television Network, Murdoch still viewed Fox Television Network as his personal territory.
Thinking back to how Fox had once wanted to participate in the production of Friends only to be rejected, Murdoch suddenly realized another issue.
If the two television programs Eric mentioned could also achieve excellent ratings, then wouldn’t that mean the copyrights to Fox Television’s several flagship programs would all be held in Firefly’s hands?
That would practically mean Firefly constantly had its hands around Fox Television’s throat.
Combined with the 10% shares Firefly would obtain, if irreconcilable conflicts ever arose between him and Eric in the future, then where those profit-first shareholders would stand in order to prevent the loss of several ace programs was self-evident.
After hesitating once more for a moment, Murdoch finally slowly spoke.
“Fine, Eric. I… agree. We can discuss the details later. But regarding the two programs you mentioned, since Firefly is about to become a Fox shareholder, I hope you can provide the concepts while allowing Fox to produce the two programs.”
Eric could tell that Murdoch was genuinely agreeing this time.
He felt secretly excited.
Setting aside how many times this shareholding might appreciate in value in the future, merely obtaining a stake in Fox Television Network meant his business empire had expanded into an entirely new field.
Of course, now that Murdoch had given such a definite answer, Eric also had to show his own sincerity.
What Murdoch said earlier was actually correct.
One Friends alone was far from enough to justify 10% of Fox’s shares.
Although somewhat unwilling, Eric still said:
“Mr. Murdoch, handing the programs entirely over to Fox is impossible. However, I can agree that these two programs can be jointly produced by Fox and Firefly, with equal investment and shared copyright ownership.”
Murdoch had never expected Eric to generously hand over the two programs completely to Fox anyway.
His goal had always been to insert himself into the production and copyright ownership. Eric’s proposal matched his expectations very well, so for once he did not continue haggling.
Within this short period of time, Eric had exhausted himself mentally dealing with Murdoch, but Murdoch himself was equally drained.
“In that case, happy cooperation.”
Although there was wine stored in the nearby cabinet, Murdoch no longer had the energy to retrieve it. He simply raised the coffee before him toward Eric.
“Happy cooperation.”
Eric also raised his coffee.
The old man and the young man simultaneously revealed faint smiles, like close friends separated by generations, while the earlier arguments, threats, and clashes seemed never to have happened at all.
After chatting about several more matters, nearly an hour had passed by the time they emerged from the reception room.
A light breeze blew through the hallway, instantly making Eric feel a chill. Taking several deep breaths of the fresh air tinged with the scent of seawater, Eric turned toward the staircase and returned to the first-floor party hall.
It was already past nine at night, and the party was in full swing.
Countless men and women moved back and forth through the hall. The low hum of conversation filled the room without seeming noisy at all.
Accompanied by the live band, pairs of men and women swayed gently together on the dance floor.
Just as Eric was about to look for Aniston, Robert Shaye and Jeffrey, who had anxiously waited near the staircase for an entire hour, immediately pulled him aside.
“Eric, how did the talks go?” Robert asked first.
Although the disparity between their shareholdings was enormous, he was still Firefly’s second-largest shareholder, so the matter of Friends directly concerned his interests as well.
Jeffrey was also deeply concerned, but unlike Robert, he was not quite so anxious.
Eric deliberately revealed a somewhat heavy expression and said to Robert:
“Robert, I have some bad news to tell you.”
“Ah…”
Robert Shaye opened his mouth slightly.
Eric had already revealed some of his plans to them earlier, so hearing this naturally filled him with disappointment. Still unwilling to give up completely, Robert pressed further:
“Don’t tell me… the negotiations failed?”
Eric shook his head.
Under Robert and Jeffrey’s confused gazes, he said:
“What I mean is, Robert, the revenue share we recently received from Pretty Woman was originally meant to pay you the sixty million dollars. But now, that money may need to be used elsewhere.”
Robert and Jeffrey immediately realized Eric was simply teasing them.
The negotiations had obviously succeeded.
Pretending to be angry, Robert lightly punched Eric in the chest and laughed as he cursed:
“You brat, stop beating around the bush and spit it out already.”
Eric extended his right hand and spread all five fingers before them.
“Murdoch agreed to give us 10% of Fox Television Network’s shares at eighty percent of the valuation before Friends premiered.”
The two middle-aged men instantly widened their eyes.
Robert Shaye swallowed hard. He clearly desperately wanted what Eric said to be true, yet instinctively found it unbelievable.
Ten percent of the shares of North America’s fourth-largest broadcast television network, which had already begun showing signs of rising because of Friends—how could Robert Shaye possibly believe that?
“Eric, that joke isn’t funny at all. How many shares does the Murdoch family even own?”
Jeffrey had known Eric longer and had witnessed miracles happen around him more than once.
Thus, after his brief shock, Jeffrey already believed it more than ninety percent.
“Eric, you’re sure you’re not joking?”
Eric took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and raised it toward the two men.
“Of course. Gentlemen, we’re about to become one of Fox Television Network’s major shareholders.”
This time, neither Robert nor Jeffrey doubted him any longer.
Both revealed ecstatic expressions, while Robert Shaye directly drained his glass of red wine in one gulp.
Although only 1.5% of that 10% stake belonged to him, as Firefly’s CEO, it meant he would possess the influence brought by that 10% shareholding within Fox Television Network itself.
This was something Robert Shaye had never even dared imagine before.
After becoming a billionaire, Robert Shaye’s pursuit of money was no longer as intense as before.
What he cared about more now was power.
His goal was to become a film mogul leader as outstanding as Michael Eisner.
Michael Eisner similarly did not own much Disney stock, yet he still possessed unquestioned authority within Disney itself.
Of course, there was one thing Robert Shaye had not realized—or perhaps deliberately ignored.
That was the fact that Firefly still had Eric.
Disney, however, did not have someone like him.
After the brief excitement subsided, Eric returned to the earlier topic.
“So, Robert, although Firefly could still scrape together sixty million dollars to pay you, it would definitely make Firefly’s cash flow rather tight. So I was thinking… could we delay paying you the sixty million until the end of the year?
“Don’t worry. For the time exceeding the payment deadline stated in the contract, I’ll pay interest according to bank loan rates.”
Robert Shaye burst into laughter and patted Eric on the shoulder.
“Of course that’s fine. We’re family now, so why say things like that?
“I’ve reviewed the figures already. Firefly still won’t have too much cash available by year’s end anyway. After all, Firefly’s remaining films all release near the end of the year. By the time the revenue shares come in, it’ll already be the middle of next year.
“So paying me then is perfectly fine too.”
After speaking, Robert Shaye casually added:
“Actually, Eric, you don’t even need to pay me that money. Just convert it directly into Firefly shares.”
Eric smiled along with him, pretending not to notice the latter half of Robert Shaye’s words as he casually shifted the topic elsewhere.
After chatting for a few more moments, Robert left in satisfaction with his glass of red wine.
Jeffrey, however, having received Eric’s subtle signal, deliberately lagged behind and stayed.