Chapter 284: The Dagger Revealed (Revised)
Chapter 284: The Dagger Revealed (Revised)
The day after the Federal Trade Commission announced that it would launch an investigation into Firefly and United Talent Agency for suspected monopolistic practices, Firefly made its counterattack by filing a lawsuit with the Los Angeles Superior Court, demanding that Fox Television repay the $29 million in overdue advertising revenue shares from Friends. At the same time, on the grounds that Fox had breached the contract, Firefly requested that the court rule to terminate the already signed contract granting Fox the first-broadcast rights for the next four seasons of Friends.
After receiving the news, Barry Diller and Rupert Murdoch could no longer sit still. The two called Eric one after another, swearing repeatedly that what had happened during this period had nothing to do with Fox. They asked Eric to withdraw the lawsuit and stated that after Fox completed its financial audit, it would settle the arrears owed to Firefly as soon as possible.
Since things had already reached this point and Fox still refused to admit its involvement in the storm, Eric was too lazy to completely tear off the mask. He likewise poured out his own grievances to them, saying that since matters had developed to this point, he had no choice but to do what he did.
After hanging up with a cold smile on his lips, Eric knew that the entire matter would definitely begin loosening from Fox’s side. Although Friends had only aired one season, to Fox, Friends had already become one of its signature shows.
Just like in his previous life, when many people mentioned NBC, the first thing they thought of was Friends. After Friends began airing in 1994 in his previous life, it brought NBC more than $3 million in advertising revenue per episode on average. Not only that, because of this flagship effect, during the ten years Friends aired, NBC’s overall strength was almost equal to the combined strength of ABC and CBS. Ten years later, after Friends ended, because NBC failed to develop a new American drama to take over, its ranking among the major networks directly fell from first place to last, even below Fox, and it failed to rise again for many years afterward.
From this, one could see how important a hit series was to a television network. Moreover, although Fox’s strength had risen one level because of the popularity of Friends, its strength still remained behind the three major networks, and the slightest carelessness could see it once again thrown far behind by them. Therefore, Eric was certain that no matter what, Fox would not be willing to give up such a television series for less than $30 million in unpaid money.
However, Eric did not intend to back down this time. He was not doing it for the less than $30 million in advertising revenue shares. He had already made up his mind that if Fox did not compromise, he would keep the lawsuit going until Fox made concessions, until the alliance of the major film giants began to collapse, or until he finally took back the first-broadcast rights for the next four seasons of Friends.
Among the seven major film companies, Fox had the deepest entanglement of interests with Firefly. Therefore, it was also the easiest breakthrough point. As long as Fox began to compromise, Eric believed that the other major companies would not be able to hold out for long either, because they would realize that once Fox compromised, Firefly would no longer be besieged on all sides. In addition, Home Alone 2 and Sleepless in Seattle, which Fox was distributing, could provide Firefly with enough funds to respond. Even if Firefly ultimately lost the antitrust lawsuit, Eric still would not be pushed into a desperate situation.
Under these circumstances, if the remaining major companies continued to persist, aside from turning the conflict between both sides completely irreconcilable, they would not gain the slightest benefit.
Moreover, since things had already reached this point, Eric no longer held anything back. He threw out all the remaining chips in his hand in one breath.
…
“Barry, you must hold on. Don’t forget, as long as we succeed in the end, not only will the copyright to Friends belong to Fox, but the other two programs Firefly has temporarily halted will also belong to Fox…” Michael Eisner sat in his office, speaking to Barry Diller on the other end of the phone with a slightly emotional expression. After learning of Firefly’s lawsuit against Fox Television, he immediately knew what Eric was planning. Therefore, the moment he received the news, he called Barry Diller’s office.
While the two were discussing matters over the phone, one of Michael Eisner’s assistants hurriedly barged in.
“Mr. Eisner, this is bad. Something big has happened.”
Looking at the assistant’s panicked expression, Michael Eisner showed strong displeasure. He hurriedly said a few more words to Barry Diller before hanging up and asking, “What happened?”
The assistant said breathlessly, “You need to go see it. Many television stations… many television stations are playing a video.”
Michael Eisner’s heart gave a faint jump, and an ominous premonition arose in him. He got up and hurried after the assistant to a lounge. Several other Disney executives had already gathered there and were whispering softly while watching a program on the television in the lounge.
Michael Eisner ignored these people and looked directly at the television screen.
On the screen, Arnon Carpenter, with a cold smile at the corner of his mouth and a faintly smug expression, faced the camera and said to the young man seated opposite him, “…Mr. Williams, the ‘public’ you speak of is the most ignorant group of all. What kind of person they regard you as mainly depends on what kind of person the media controlling public opinion wants them to regard you as…”
A surge of rage rushed straight into Michael Eisner’s head. He casually grabbed a coffee cup from the table in front of him and hurled it viciously at the television screen.
Bang.
The television screen shattered directly, releasing a wisp of blue smoke. The executives who had been watching with great interest instantly became silent as cicadas in winter.
“That idiot!” Michael Eisner cursed fiercely, then swept his gaze over the people around him. “It’s working hours now. Don’t any of you need to work? Get back to your offices!”
Facing the furious Michael Eisner, not one person dared to refute him. Everyone lowered their eyes and hurriedly slipped out along the corner of the wall.
After everyone had left the lounge, Michael Eisner called his assistant over and said, “Go notify that idiot. Tell him to leave now, immediately, at once, and roll as far away as possible. Don’t let anyone find him.”
The assistant carefully nodded and hurried away.
After the video of Arnon Carpenter threatening Eric was exposed, it quickly spread across the world. In particular, Arnon Carpenter’s remarks about “the public being the most ignorant group” caused a powerful reaction among ordinary citizens. In this country that repeatedly shouted that freedom stood above all else, and even wrote the word “freedom” into its constitution, people discovered that they had become a group being fooled in someone else’s mouth. One could imagine the anger that resulted. Therefore, almost no one doubted the content of the video. In addition, Firefly had simply released the video without offering any defense or accusing anyone. Because of that, no force would be stupid enough to stand up and deny the authenticity of the video. Thus, the public-opinion storm in North America surrounding Eric began to reverse.
The media outlets that had originally attacked Eric in public opinion had no choice but to restrain themselves, and even stopped their attacks. Meanwhile, many newspapers and media outlets that had simply followed the tide changed their original positions directly in order to distance themselves and avoid being regarded by the public as one of the groups Arnon Carpenter described as fooling the public. They began to appeal on behalf of Eric against the various attacks he had suffered during this period.