During my years at China Entertainment

Chapter 808 Cutting Down the Trees and Digging Up the Roots: The True Dagger is Revealed
As a new day dawned, many in the industry were paying close attention to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television's investigation results regarding euthanasia.

But no one expected that just as a group of senior executives of Edko Films went to Beijing to be questioned and Edko Cinemas was investigated by a working group, another announcement was released through Edko Films' official website, and the content was so shocking!
"Given the previous lack of oversight, which led to a series of violations during the theatrical release of 'Monster Hunt,' the public's trust and affection were severely damaged."

With the approval of all shareholders, our company will sponsor two weeks of free screenings of "Monster Hunt" at 29 cinemas in 17 cities under Edko Films, starting immediately, to make up for the loss of the public and give back to the industry.

The target audience for this public screening includes: senior citizens aged 60 and above; officers and soldiers of the People's Liberation Army, the Armed Police, and public security officers; people with disabilities, doctors and nurses, teachers, people who have performed acts of bravery, and children under the age of 12.

These seven categories of viewers can also bring one family member for a free movie ticket. Please see the official WeChat account for a list of participating cinemas.

The news quickly made it to the front page of major portal websites and became a trending topic on Weibo.

Even the news about Ahri's press conference for "Eternal Love" was firmly suppressed.

This is the first time in the history of Chinese-language films that such a high-profile, fully-funded event has been held, with the production company paying for it entirely – a truly groundbreaking move!

There has been much discussion and debate within the industry regarding Anle's decision.

"He took the initiative to admit his mistake, and then immediately started donating money to charity out of his own pocket. Jiang Zhiqiang is indeed a seasoned shrew. This combination of moves is really impressive. He has given an explanation to both his superiors and subordinates. Brilliant, truly brilliant!"

"Wow, they were secretly manipulating box office numbers before, but now they don't even need to pretend anymore; it's all out in the open. And nobody dares to say anything, since it's a charity event."

"The most crucial point is that this happened right when the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television was conducting an investigation. The investigation results will definitely be lenient, because public opinion cannot be defied."

To be honest, Jiang Zhiqiang's move was indeed brilliant. Even Lao Chen, who was familiar with Wei Jin's overall plan, was a little worried.

However, Wei Jin seemed quite calm about this. He sat confidently in his executive chair, radiating self-assurance.

"Old Chen, don't worry. No matter what the outcome is, as long as the General Administration sets the tone, our next steps will be perfectly legitimate and justified. Anle's fate will remain unchanged; it's just a matter of putting in a little more effort."

Chen Zhiming pondered for a moment and nodded. Indeed, all the preparations were just for that simple "righteous cause"!

However, considering Zhao Feng's actions, he hesitated.

"But Mr. Wei, won't doing this make our competitors think we're too ruthless, and that we'll feel a sense of shared vulnerability?"

Wei Jin shook his head. "Old Chen, business competition is a life-or-death struggle. You can't deter the scoundrels if you're not ruthless."

And don't forget, internet companies like Ali, Tencent, and Baidu are all eyeing it covetously.

Believe it or not, if we let this go lightly, or accept the compensation from Anle, this kind of thing will happen again and again.

To paraphrase a great man, this is called striking once to ward off a hundred blows. Let's use Anle, this chicken that jumped out, as a model for the industry!

At this point, Wei Jin smiled.

"Moreover, Lao Chen, Anle's move may seem to alleviate the punishment from above, but isn't it also isolating himself among his peers in the industry?"

The two-week charity screenings may have benefited audiences, but who suffers the losses in terms of the market and screening schedules? Therefore, your concerns are unfounded.

Since Wei Jin had spoken so frankly, Chen Zhiming's doubts immediately disappeared, and he nodded, "President Wei, I understand."

"Okay, let's proceed according to plan."

"Okay, Mr. Wei."

As expected by industry insiders, Edko Films' series of moves made the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television's investigation appear to have started strong but ended weakly.

The final outcome was announced in just one day.

"Mr. Jiang, I hope that Anle will learn from this lesson and remember not to repeat such mistakes that disrupt the market and violate laws and regulations. Otherwise, you may not be able to keep your distribution and theater licenses."

In the General Administration's conference room, Director Tong gave Jiang Zhiqiang a deep look.

He must admit that being able to dominate the Chinese film industry for decades is no simple feat.

This time, he handled the General Administration's situation perfectly, to the point that even he, the leader of the relevant department, had to "slap himself in the face" once.

"Director Tong, please rest assured. After this incident, I have also realized that we must not relax our management. We will actively take responsibility for the mistakes made by the management."

Regarding public service films, we will keep our word and continue to push forward. We will also address any fines and corresponding compensation as soon as possible.

Jiang Zhiqiang's attitude was very sincere. It's not shameful to bow your head in front of the General Manager, especially since you've already gained an advantage, haven't you?

"Alright, you must have a lot of things to take care of at your company, so I won't keep you any longer."

"Okay, thank you, leaders. I'm sorry to have troubled the bureau this time."

A dozen minutes later, Jiang Zhiqiang and two senior executives of the company stepped out of the headquarters.

"Chairman Jiang, what should we do now?"

Jiang Zhiqiang didn't speak, but turned his head to look at the General Administration building, a smile playing on his lips.

In his view, this matter is over. Even if Shanhe Media persists and files a formal complaint, what can they do?

Yes, Shanhe Media is a large company, and Wei Jin is a top director and Asia's richest man, but he does not represent the entire industry, nor does he have a monopoly!

In the film and television industry, the State Administration of Radio and Television's decision is final, and Wei Jin must accept it!
"Back in Hong Kong, let's hold a celebration banquet. We'll sing and dance as usual!"

Perhaps in an effort to end the recent turmoil in the industry, the State Administration of Radio and Television acted very efficiently this time.

As Jiang Zhiqiang and his entourage boarded their flight back to Hong Kong, the outcome of the case regarding Anle was released on the official website of the Film Bureau.

Seeing the four lukewarm results of "ordering rectification," "industry notification," "administrative penalty," and "fine," many people in the mainland film and television industry are waiting to see what happens.

Will Shanhe Media accept or reject the offer? And what kind of response will Wei Jin take?

After all, although Anle suffered considerable losses this time, it was technically a relatively easy victory. Given Mr. Wei's personality, he probably won't let it go so easily.

Sure enough, just one hour later, the entire film and entertainment industry and media circle saw the attitude of Shanhe Media, or rather, Wei Jin.

"Given Edko Films' and its affiliated cinema chains' past violations and illegal activities, and to prevent us from suffering further losses and engaging in unfair competition, Shanhe Media, Shanhe Cinemas, and Golden Harvest Pictures have jointly decided:"
Effective immediately, films exclusively produced or controlled by Shanhe Media and Golden Harvest Pictures will be refused screening in 29 cinemas across 17 cities owned by Edko Films.

This scope includes, but is not limited to, works that have already been scheduled for release, such as "Go Away Mr. Tumor", "Monkey King: Hero Is Back", "Black Coal, Thin Ice", "Project Gutenberg", "Chasing the Dragon", "Fame and Fortune", "Yunnan Insect Valley", and "Detective Chinatown".

Furthermore, all film and television works controlled, invested in, co-invested in, or primarily distributed by Edko Films are strictly prohibited from being screened on Shanhe Cinemas and Golden Harvest Cinemas!

This announcement represents the views of our three parties only and does not involve other partners.

However, if there are new cooperation plans in the future, this clause will also be written into the formal contract. We hope that all partners will be aware of the implications.

We firmly oppose all violations and hope that other film companies and cinemas will take this as a warning and work together to create a fair and just market environment for the film industry! A notice bearing the official red seals of Shanhe Media, Shanhe Cinemas, and Jiahe Cinemas quickly made it to the top of the headlines on major portal websites and the trending topics on Weibo within just five minutes.

Countless filmmakers, production companies, theater chains, and acquaintances in the film and television industry frantically called Wei Jin.

Unfortunately, Mr. Wei, who was well-prepared, was enjoying a leisurely time with his wife and children at his villa in Yanjiao, and had no time to pay attention to these people.

As a result, all the calls received were the message "The number you dialed is currently switched off".

What followed was an endless stream of text messages, social media messages, and Weibo comments. Regardless of whether Mr. Wei could see them or not, they were all sent out in one go.

However, while Mr. Wei was able to escape the hustle and bustle, Shanhe Media and Jiahe Pictures suffered the consequences, as they were already surrounded by a large number of media reporters.

Including the company's front desk phone, Chen Zhiming, Zhong Lifang, Chen Xi, Shi Nansheng, and others were all targeted.

The industry is abuzz with discussion, as if an earthquake has struck; online opinion is also in an uproar!
Even major state-owned enterprises, associations, art colleges, and even the supervising authorities have all taken notice—there's no way around it, this matter has had such a huge impact!
It's no exaggeration to say that the way the film distributors block rival theaters and the theaters block rival films is ruthless to the extreme!

Most importantly, this is the first time such a case has occurred in the development of the Chinese-language film market. No one has ever dared to do this before!
"Wei Jin's move is absolutely brilliant! To be precise, this isn't just a ban, it's digging up Anle's very foundation. With both distribution and theaters crippled, Anle will either die or decline."

"Who let Anle cross Wei Jin's sore spot? He didn't even need the State Administration to take action; he did it himself. He's powerful, confident, and domineering!"

"It's not that he's going to be the enemy's enemy. Boss Wei's enemy is his woman. That's when he'd really be ruthless. But this move was definitely ruthless!"
With the scale of Shanhe Media and Golden Harvest, their annual box office revenue exceeding tens of billions, and their two cinema chains holding over 20% market share, they've struck a direct blow to Anlene's core!

"Thinking about it carefully, it seems that only Wei Jin in the entire film industry has the qualifications and ability to do this, and it works effectively!"

"All the people in Anle have lost their minds. Of all people to mess with, they had to provoke Wei Jin, and the worst part is they didn't kneel down earlier!"

"This is a classic case of stealing a sesame seed but losing a watermelon, and losing it forever. But with such a big move, will the higher-ups just sit idly by?"

"You're overthinking it. How many films does the film industry produce in a year? Shanhe Media doesn't have a monopoly in terms of either quantity or box office revenue, so it's none of the government's business."

As for the cinemas, perhaps their actions were somewhat excessive. But what can you expect from Edko Films, given their past record and the fact that Wei Jin caught them red-handed? Taking the case all the way to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television is perfectly justified!

"."

Starting in the afternoon, almost everyone in the industry focused on Shanhe Media's unilateral announcement of a "ban" on Edko Films and its cinemas, and discussions were endless.

Just as Wei Jin predicted, Edko Films' previous charity screenings were indeed disgusting and encroached on the interests of many industry peers.

Therefore, Shanhe Media's series of actions did not cause panic in the industry; the vast majority of people were just watching with amusement.

However, Edko Films, being the direct target, was far from happy, and at this point, it seemed as if the end of the world had arrived.

The planned celebration banquet had long since turned into a chaotic mess, with all sorts of curses and worries mixed together, making it impossible for anyone to calm down.

"Chairman Jiang, Wei Jin is going too far."

"Yes, we've already humbled ourselves and accepted the punishment, so why does he insist on driving us to our deaths?!"

"He's undermining our very foundation, abusing his power to bully us! Is there no law left?!"

“Anger won’t help. Tomorrow is Monday. What we should be thinking now is how the shareholders will view this, and how we should explain this to them.”

"Given Shanhe Media's box office revenue, market share of its two cinema chains, and even the possibility of other competitors taking advantage of its misfortune and launching a coordinated attack, how did things come to this?!"

"How about we go back to the General Administration and ask them to intervene and mediate?"

"I'm afraid that's unlikely. We already narrowly escaped this situation, and we even managed to outmaneuver them. Besides, the Wei and Jin dynasties are like rocks in a latrine—stinky and unyielding."

"."

Despite feeling flustered and regretful, Jiang Zhiqiang knew that as the backbone of the group, he absolutely could not afford to lose his composure.

Otherwise, Anle would truly not be able to survive this ordeal!

So he suppressed his terrible mood and tried his best to appear confident and composed, then tapped the table in front of him.

"Everyone, be quiet and listen to me."

Having served as chairman for many years, Jiang Zhiqiang had excellent control over the company, and the chaotic scene indeed quieted down after he gave the order.

Seeing this, Jiang Zhiqiang smiled with satisfaction, "The situation looks terrible, but we can still solve it by analyzing it one by one."

Regarding film production, we haven't had any films released recently that we've invested in, so the impact of Wei Jin's methods is not significant for now.
As for cinemas, we'll only lose "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" and "Go Away Mr. Tumor" during the summer season, which won't cause any major damage.

The most urgent task now is to stabilize market confidence, calm investor sentiment, and protect shareholder interests. I've decided to immediately start production on "Monster Hunt 2," because we're already profitable, so a sequel is a must!

As Jiang Zhiqiang's powerful voice rang out, the panic among many people at the scene gradually subsided.

Yes, stabilizing the stock price is the top priority right now. As long as there are still shareholders supporting it, Anle won't collapse.

In the capital market, stabilizing stock prices simply requires telling a good story. With "Monster Hunt" already exceeding 10 billion yuan at the box office, isn't that the perfect material?
As for things further ahead, we can always buy time and find a solution.

Taking in the situation on the ground, Jiang Zhiqiang felt slightly relieved, but he knew very well that these were just temporary measures that might have an effect in the short term, but it would be difficult to truly reverse the decline.

The reason for this is that Wei and Jin's two moves were too ruthless, hitting Anle right where it hurt!

Just as he was about to continue boosting morale, his secretary rushed in in a panic.

"Chairman Jiang, something bad has happened. Just now, managers from more than a dozen cinemas called one after another, wanting to terminate their contracts with us."

"What?! How could this happen so suddenly?"

Jiang Zhiqiang's expression suddenly changed, and countless thoughts surged through his mind.

At one point, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he fully realized what was going on.

No wonder, no wonder the Wei and Jin dynasties had no intention of negotiating at all, no wonder they would rather suffer mutual destruction than allow Anle to be suppressed.

This isn't just a matter of being angry. From the very beginning, Wei Jin probably had his eye on Anle's 29 high-quality cinemas. Now, he's just revealing his true intentions!

If things go as expected, Shanhe Cinemas is probably already negotiating with these cinema executives; otherwise, there's no reason for them to arrive so quickly!

Upon thinking of this, Jiang Zhiqiang could no longer sit still.

"Quick! Get the car ready! I need to go to the airport."

(End of this chapter)