National Tide 1980.

"Let's not talk about that, Mr. Ning. I have some good news to share with you. Didn't you ask me to create a variety show similar to the national television station's 'Zhengda Variety Show'? Since the New Year this year, our company's 'Big Ship Variety Show' has been airing simultaneously on Beijing TV and Tianjin TV. Just as you wished, although only eleven episodes have aired so far, the show's ratings are exceptionally high, and the response after airing has been fantastic, not inferior to 'Zhengda Variety Show' at all. In fact, some episodes have even surpassed it."

Yao Peifang's words surprised Ning Weimin, who looked on with a hint of disbelief and confirmation.

"Oh? The audience likes it that much? Some episodes even surpassed 'Zhengda Variety Show'? Really? As a flagship variety show launched by the national television station, 'Zhengda Variety Show' is a benchmark in the domestic variety show market. I originally just wanted to imitate their format, make a similar program, and bask in their glory. My main goal was to give my other businesses some soft advertising. This news of yours is quite surprising. Tell me, how did you manage to do it?"

Seeing Ning Weimin's strong reaction, Yao Peifang also revealed a confident smile.

"President Ning, why else could it be? Of course, it's because you've provided me with so many high-quality resources."

She opened the document marked "Variety Show Project" and then explained in a light and detailed manner, "Although the core segment of 'Zhengda Variety Show,' 'The World Is Wonderful,' features location-based short films that focus on the customs and cultures of various places around the world, our 'Multiverse Planet' segment currently only broadcasts documentaries produced by TBS and documentary films from two French film companies. Most of these are related to Japan and European countries, which makes it seem a bit monotonous. However, some of our unique program segments have won the favor of the audience."

"For example, in the 'Animal Observation' segment, we simply edited together footage from previous pet programs provided by TBS. The beautiful and intelligent pets, and their cute and mischievous daily antics, are very popular with children and women. Airing a few clips each episode brings a lot of laughter, which is better than traditional folk art programs. We also edited footage introducing Japanese and French cuisine into a segment called 'Taste of Food,' which airs for ten minutes each time. This perfectly caters to people's current curiosity about the lives of foreigners, giving them a better understanding of Japanese and French cuisine."

"Of course, the most popular segment is 'Exotic Stars.' Our people already have a fondness and admiration for foreign stars like Japanese stars such as Tomokazu Miura, Momoe Yamaguchi, and Ken Utsui, as well as French stars such as Alain Delon, Jean-Paul Belmondo, and Catherine Deneuve. Now, they can not only see the real lives of these stars on our program, but also see their homes and families. Moreover, these stars express their goodwill and blessings towards our country on screen. This makes the viewers of these programs particularly excited and happy. And that's when some really funny things happen."

"You'd never guess. So many viewers have started writing to the TV station, practically ordering us to interview their favorite stars like they're ordering food: Sylvester Stallone, Gregory Peck, Shirley Temple, Lin Fengjiao, Liu Xuehua, Felix Wong, Chow Yun-fat… The most unbelievable thing is that some people even want us to interview Barbara Yung and Bruce Lee. My God, how do these people know that we were able to interview these stars entirely because of your and your wife's connections? They think we can interview any star, even deceased ones."

After listening to Yao Peifang's story, Ning Weimin's tense expression completely relaxed, and a gentle smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

“These viewers are really direct, making their demands very clear. But this also shows that you set up the ‘Exotic Stars’ segment very well, and you’ve found the right taste for the audience.”

After a brief pause, his eyes lit up with a new idea, and he said, "Actually, it's not like we can't satisfy the audience's desire for certain stars. I can try to connect with Hong Kong and Taiwan stars. Teresa Teng and Brigitte Lin are definitely a given; they live in Yunyuan now. I can talk to them, and they should be able to agree to our interviews. As for Leslie Cheung and Joey Wong, because of the investment in 'A Chinese Ghost Story,' I can also make connections and invite them for a short interview or to record a blessing video. That shouldn't be a problem."

He then shifted his tone, becoming more composed, "But American celebrities will probably have to wait a bit longer. I don't have any plans to invest in the US right now; there's no need to rush things. If my business connects with them in a few years, perhaps everything will fall into place naturally."

Then, he put forward a novel idea: "As for those celebrities who have passed away or retired, it's not impossible to make a story out of it. We don't necessarily have to interview them in person. We can film their personal stories of how they became famous, review their classic works, and then talk to some industry insiders or fans who know them to make a special program. This way, we can satisfy the audience's curiosity, ensure the quality of the program, and avoid too much cost in connecting with them. It's a win-win situation."

Yao Peifang's eyes lit up, and she nodded quickly.

"President Ning, you're right, this is a great idea! How come I didn't think of that? This way, the content of our 'Exotic Stars' segment will be greatly enriched, and we can better respond to the audience's needs. Moreover, creating a history of famous stars and a review of their works will allow us to accumulate high-quality content, which can be repeatedly broadcast or compiled into highlights later. It's incredibly cost-effective. I'll arrange for the team to compile information on the relevant stars and select a few that have received the most audience feedback to conduct a pilot program."

As Yao Peifang spoke, she closed the document for the variety show section, but she didn't seem to be ending her report. Instead, she leaned forward slightly, her face beaming with even more joy.

Her tone was filled with barely suppressed excitement as she dropped the second bombshell of the day.

"Mr. Ning, besides the success of the program's content, there's even more exciting news. You probably wouldn't believe it, but it's precisely because of the soaring ratings of 'Big Ship Variety Show' that Beijing TV and Tianjin TV have finally relented. They've agreed to our proposed new model—bundling TV programs, dramas, and commercials together. In other words, the TV stations will provide us with a certain amount of advertising time before the program, about five minutes."

She paused, looked at Ning Weimin, her eyes full of admiration.

"This is something we never dared to dream of before. In the future, we can not only use corporate financing to produce programs, but more importantly, we can openly and legitimately place product placements for our partner companies in the broadcast content! This will not only greatly reduce our production costs, but also generate profits through advertising revenue, completely opening up a new path for the commercial operation of our film and television projects."

"Really! That's wonderful!"

Ning Weimin slapped his thigh suddenly, his previously composed posture instantly crumbling, and a rare look of excitement appeared on his face. He knew, of course, what this meant. In an era where television programs were the primary form of entertainment for the masses, controlling the distribution resources of television channels was tantamount to holding the key to future wealth.

He breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes brightening.

"That's great! From now on, we can finally play our cards openly, without having to hide things like before, afraid of breaking any taboos. Plus, it will make my advertising company a lot of money. Peifang, you made a brilliant move!"

Ning Weimin gave a thumbs-up without hesitation, sincerely praising, "That's true professionalism. You were able to capitalize on the program's popularity and push for the TV station to reform its advertising model. Your business acumen and negotiation skills truly live up to your position as General Manager of Dachuan Entertainment. With you at the helm, I'm really at ease. I must reward you for this. How about this, I'll have Zhao Daqing from the advertising company provide 300,000 RMB as your personal bonus. Please don't refuse."

Faced with the boss's high praise and the generous reward of 300,000 yuan, Yao Peifang's face was filled with a proud smile, and a warm feeling of gratitude welled up in her heart. She quickly stood up to say a few words of politeness.

However, just as she was about to decline, Ning Weimin abruptly changed the subject, his expression returning to its usual deep and serious tone, and gestured for her to sit down. "However, Peifang..."

Ning Weimin suppressed his smile, tapping his fingers lightly on the table as he solemnly instructed, "Everything in excess is harmful. Now that we have the initiative in advertising, we must control the degree. We can do commercials, but we can't let the program become too commercialized, and we certainly can't let the audience feel that we are forcing advertisements on them. That would ruin the program's reputation and make the audience lose their appetite."

He looked at Yao Peifang and made a new request.

"I hope you can arrange for someone to shoot some public service announcements and dedicate a one-minute slot to them. The themes should definitely align with public morality, such as saving water and electricity, caring for out-of-school children and elderly people living alone, or praising teachers, police officers, soldiers, doctors, workers, and scientists, advocating filial piety, business integrity, protecting traditional handicrafts, and changing one's destiny through hard work."

Ning Weimin paused, then emphasized the production style.

"However, we need to be innovative in our filming style. I don't want the kind that shouts slogans; I want simple visuals, romantic shots, and a story that is close to life, sincere, and touching. You've seen a lot of commercials on Japanese TV, and we need to learn from the Japanese way of expressing emotions through details. I don't want viewers to feel that our public service advertisements are fake and empty. We must try our best to be close to the reality of life and show the extraordinary in ordinary life in the most beautiful way so that viewers can believe in them and feel a sense of resonance and emotion."

After hearing these words, Yao Peifang's smile gradually faded, and her brows furrowed slightly.

After hesitating for a moment, he couldn't help but voice his concerns, his tone tinged with a hint of doubt.

“President Ning, I understand your thinking; public service announcements can indeed enhance the company's image. But… but we've just obtained the advertising binding rights, and this is a crucial time for us to profit from commercial advertising and recoup our costs. Dedicated one minute to a public service announcement means losing one minute of commercial advertising time, which is a significant loss. Moreover, very few companies in the industry would voluntarily do such unprofitable public service announcements. Won't the audience find it abrupt? Some might even misunderstand that we're deliberately trying to grab attention or just putting on a show, which could backfire?”

She paused for a moment, then added.

"Furthermore, the 'touching details, simple sincerity' style you requested is much harder to film than just saying slogans. It requires not only finding good scripts and ideas, but also refining the actors and sets, which takes a lot of time and money. I'm not complaining, but the filming difficulty is higher than producing the program itself. Isn't that putting the cart before the horse?"

Ning Weimin could understand Yao Peifang's thoughts, but because they were in different positions, their perspectives on gains and losses were different.

He shook his head. "This issue isn't as simple as you think. Now that Dachuan Entertainment has influence, it must shoulder corresponding social responsibility. These public service announcements interspersed in the programs can not only purify the screen but also enhance our company's brand image. More importantly, the TV station and the relevant authorities will be happy and will trust us. It's precisely because no one else is willing to do it that we appear more noble than others, right? Otherwise, how could we achieve such an effect?"

A shrewd glint flashed in Ning Weimin's eyes as he explained earnestly, "Think about it. If we can establish a positive, moral, and socially responsible image, then getting our programs and works approved will be much easier. That's the long-term solution. Don't forget, many of our works come from overseas film libraries, and some of them might be taboo. If we don't do these 'seemingly useless' things, we might make more money, but what if our works are questioned by the higher authorities and rejected? How much extra cost would we have to temporarily gain the trust of the authorities and smooth things over? Have you calculated that?"

Upon hearing this, Yao Peifang felt a chill run down her spine, then suddenly realized what was going on. She nodded heavily, her eyes filled with conviction and admiration.

"President Ning, rest assured, I understand your meaning completely. This is not just advertising, but also building a golden brand for our Dachuan Entertainment, paving the way for future success. I will immediately start planning when I get back, and guarantee that we will produce a work that has both commercial value and social relevance."

Seeing that Yao Peifang had understood his meaning, Ning Weimin smiled gently again and nodded slightly to indicate that she did not need to say anything more.

He picked up the enamel mug on the table, took a sip of tea, and softened his tone.

Seeing that Yao Peifang had no intention of reporting anything else, he took the initiative to change the subject to the new work arrangements.

"If there's nothing else to discuss, then I have to tell you about my business. You'd better take note of this; I have a few more things to entrust to you, and I'd like you to take charge of getting them done."

Ning Weimin put down his teacup, tapped the table lightly with his fingertip, and said in a calm tone.

"Please speak." Yao Peifang immediately retrieved her notebook, which contained important notes, as instructed.

"Cui Jian came to see me a while ago, complaining a lot about his friends who play in bands. You know, Cui Jian is an old friend of mine. He's the one who started the rock music trend in Beijing, and I even released a hugely successful album for him. But these rock bands aren't doing so well. They can't compare to Cui Jian, who's already achieved great success. Most of them don't have a proper rehearsal space, and because their music is non-mainstream, their lyrics sometimes deliberately cross the line with mainstream ideology, which means they don't have many opportunities to perform publicly. These people are mostly living off free meals or doing odd jobs to barely make ends meet. Many talented young people are struggling, almost like beggars."

As he said this, a look of certainty flashed in his eyes.

"I've been thinking, since we're going into the entertainment industry, why don't we find a way to help these bands? Firstly, it'll be a good thing, and secondly, it'll be doing something practical for the mainland music market. So I've decided that our Big Ship Entertainment will invest one million to buy a space near the embassy district in Sanlitun and open a bar called Big Ship. As you know, my drinks are sourced from fixed channels in France, and Lao Sha is in charge of the mainland market for me. With this natural cost advantage, as long as we have foreign customers, it's almost impossible to lose money. But what I want from this bar isn't just to do business; more importantly, to provide these rock bands with a fixed rehearsal space, arrange performance opportunities for them, and allow them to earn some money to make a living by performing at the bar in rotation."

Upon hearing this, Yao Peifang immediately began to take notes seriously, her eyes filled with focus. (End of Chapter)