Huayu: Director started with art films

Chapter 342 353 [ATV changes ownership, ATV Chairman Li Yishu]

After the pre-production seminar of "Red Cliff of Three Kingdoms" ended, Lee Yi-su began to work on the post-production of "Black Coal, Thin Ice".

Lee Yi-su did not participate in the post-production of "Fireworks", but handed it entirely to Takeshi Kitano.

Because he knew that Takeshi Kitano might know more about "Fireworks" than he did. He spent more than a year studying the script alone, not to mention that during the filming process, Takeshi Kitano himself was also an assistant director who was deeply involved in the filming of the film.

Time flies and it is already early March.

Lin Baixin contacted Li Yishu and said that he had successfully acquired all the remaining shares of ATV, and now he owns 100% of ATV!
After learning the news, Li Yishu took Huo Wenxi to Hong Kong and reached a cooperation with Lin Baixin. They acquired 20% of Asia TV's shares at a premium of 18%, totaling HK$55 billion, and became the largest shareholder of Asia TV.

In fact, this price is a bit high. Although Li Huanggua’s satellite TV station only sold 64% of its shares for US$5.25 million, which is equivalent to nearly HK$40 billion, it was acquired by Murdoch News Corporation at a super high premium.

Murdoch's News Corporation has been developing in Europe and the United States for many years. Japan and South Korea have their own chaebols and conglomerates, and Murdoch's News Corporation cannot compete with them, so it attaches great importance to Hong Kong Island, the Asian financial center.

Although Li Huanggua's satellite TV station is not large in scale, because it is a satellite TV station, its coverage area includes Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and parts of Southeast Asia.

In addition, it was Murdoch who asked to buy it. Considering the influence of Murdoch's News Corporation in the UK, Li Huanggua sold most of the shares of the TV station that he had spent many years to apply for.

Asia Television.

In the chairman's office.

"Mr. Li!"

After signing the contract, Lin Baixin said with a smile: "I am relieved to leave ATV to you. The rise of ATV in the future depends on you."

"Don't worry, Mr. Lin. Since I control ATV, I naturally hope that ATV can achieve greater success."

Li Yishu smiled and said, "We are all family now. Let me tell you some good news. I believe the two shareholders will be very happy."

Yang Shoucheng asked quickly, "Mr. Li, what's the news?"

He just got 5% of ATV shares from Lin Baixin and became the third largest individual shareholder. He must want ATV to make money.

Li Yishu glanced at Yang Shoucheng beside him and said with a smile: "I have talked with Sun, the leader in charge of the Ministry of Radio, Film and Television in the mainland. He supports my holding of ATV and told me to reform ATV boldly. ATV will be broadcast in Guangdong this year."

"ATV can now broadcast in Guangdong!!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Shoucheng was very excited. ATV's current main service target is the citizens of Hong Kong Island, followed by Taiwan and some overseas audiences.

If you add all the viewers together, there might not even be tens of millions, and this is while they are competing with TVB.

But Guangdong alone has a population of tens of millions, and Guangdong is currently considered the richest province in the mainland.

"Mr. Li, it would be great if ATV could broadcast in Guangdong."

Peter Lam also had a look of joy on his face, as this meant that ATV had gained at least tens of millions of viewers out of thin air.

In the future, ATV will not only have audiences in Hong Kong Island, but also in Guangdong. By then, advertisers will not only be local brands in Hong Kong Island. International brand agencies that want to enter the mainland market will probably also try to place advertisements on ATV.

Lin Baixin's eyes flickered. He did not doubt that what Li Yishu said was false, because the contract had already been signed, and there was no need to tell lies.

Such an important matter was accomplished so quickly. It seems that Li Yishu's official connections in mainland China should not be underestimated.

This deal was considered a big profit.

At present, Lin Baixin still holds 40% of the shares. Even if the TV station is to be listed in the future, he will be able to retain at least 25% of the shares. Although he cannot control ATV, he is still one of the largest shareholders.

"Yes, being able to broadcast in Guangdong is indeed the best thing for ATV, but it is not without cost."

Li Yishu leaned back in his chair and smiled faintly, "Boss Lin, Boss Yang, we are all family members now, so I will just say some things directly. ATV has been around for a long time and there are many factions within it, so internal reform and self-examination are inevitable. Secondly, ATV will make a major adjustment in the next six months..."

Li Yishu did not say it too bluntly, but Lin Baixin lived to be eighty years old, and Peter Lam was also well-informed. Yang Shoucheng was a self-made tycoon, so the three of them naturally heard the hidden meaning.

In order to obtain the broadcasting rights in Guangdong, the first thing to do is to cooperate with the official propaganda policy of the mainland on the return, including eliminating the anxiety of the middle class people in Hong Kong Island.

There was an immigration wave in the mid-80s, targeting the wealthy class. Last year, there was another immigration wave, this time targeting the middle class.

The immigration wave that has been set off does not care about the rich who can immigrate. They have money and can go wherever they want. They can go whenever they want. Ordinary citizens do not have the capital, and even if they want to immigrate, they do not have the ability to do so.

Therefore, those who really want to immigrate and have the ability to do so are the middle class.

These middle class people may not be as wealthy as the rich, but they are huge in number.

In 1989, Hong Kong University conducted a class data survey and found that there were nearly 10 middle-class people in Hong Kong. The definition of middle-class not only includes the most basic salary level, but also includes occupation, education level, lifestyle and consumption patterns, and values.

Most of these people have a certain level of education, work in a highly professional manner, and are generally generous in their living expenses.

The number of 10 people is already extremely small compared to the population of several million on Hong Kong Island.

These people are the ones who have the capital to immigrate in this era.

It is no exaggeration to say that these 100,000 people can represent the future direction of Hong Kong Island.

Because the remaining population mostly works in relatively cheap and replaceable positions and jobs.

"I support it!" Yang Shoucheng nodded without saying a word, supporting the deep reform of ATV. It was not just about the replacement of personnel, but most importantly, the positioning of ATV.

The biggest reason why Asia Television could not compete with TVB in the past was that Asia Television was originally controlled by British capital. Although it was later taken over by Qiu Degen and Lam Pak-yan, they did not promote the concept and purpose of the television station that was in line with the citizens of Hong Kong Island.

In recent years, ATV’s slogan is: Gold and diamonds shine in Hong Kong, and Asian Television shines brightly!

This is a bit too pretentious.

The target of service is the citizens of Hong Kong, but the slogan is set in Asia.

Lin Baixin nodded in support: "Mr. Li, you are now the chairman of ATV. You have full authority to decide how to reform the TV station."

"Okay! With the support of CEO Lin and CEO Yang, I have confidence."

Li Yishu smiled and introduced Huo Wenxi beside her, saying, "I will be busy with a movie next. I will arrange for Miss Huo Wenxi to be the vice chairman of ATV and be fully responsible for the internal reform of ATV. Miss Huo has experience in managing Pioneer Electric. Although she has never managed a TV station, I believe she has the ability to change ATV's current predicament."

"No problem. We naturally believe in Mr. Li's vision and Miss Huo's ability."

Lin Baixin and Yang Shoucheng naturally had no objection to the appointment of Huo Wenxi as the chairman of ATV, who was in charge of the life and death of ATV.

Because they knew very well that Li Yishu was definitely the one behind Huo Wenxi, and she just let Huo Wenxi stand in the front.

"New people, new atmosphere. ATV needs new ideas and objectives..."

Li Yishu looked at the others and said with a smile, "Rooted in Hong Kong Island, serving the people of Hong Kong, facing the challenges together, and looking at the world, what do you think?"

"Good! Mr. Li, this slogan is great!"

Lin Baixin's eyes lit up. He had been in Hong Kong Island for decades and knew very well that Hong Kong Island residents actually had no sense of belonging or security.

It is true that they are Chinese, but having lived under the jurisdiction of the British Hong Kong government for a long time, the collision between China and the West did not create any major sparks. Instead, the conflicts between the young and the older generations began to gradually become more acute.

To put it in a nutshell: Hong Kong Island residents speak Cantonese and talk about ABC.

With 97 approaching, most people in Hong Kong Island prefer to return to the embrace of the motherland politically, but do not want to see major changes in the economy due to the departure of the British Hong Kong government.

This is where emotion meets reality.

No one knows what it will be like after the return, but they know what it will be like before the return.

Good or bad, no one analyzes for them.

ATV needs to analyze the situation rationally for them.

The slogan proposed by Li Yishu will be the most enthusiastic slogan that a large number of mainland companies will shout out when they come to Hong Kong Island in the future.

It is also the slogan that can most impress the citizens of Hong Kong Island, and encourage them to face the future together, rather than being instigated by the bad British media to lose their own bottom line and rationality.

Three days later in the morning.

Kowloon.

81 Broadcasting Lane.

Asia Television Building.

Early in the morning, a large number of reporters from Hong Kong Island, Mainland China and Taiwan were invited to the Asia Television Building.

In the past few days, Asia Television has sent hundreds or even thousands of invitation letters to external media, involving hundreds of newspapers and magazines in the Mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

"Have you heard that ATV is making such a big fuss? It seems to be related to the change of ownership of the TV station."

"The TV station changed its owner? No way, didn't Lin Baixin buy the last of Asia Television's shares some time ago and become the sole shareholder?"

"You don't understand this. We must first take back all the shares before we can introduce new shareholders, and they must be major shareholders."

"It seems to be true. Apart from the time when Lin Baixin bought ATV shares from Qiu Degen and officially took control of ATV, there has never been such a big show."

"..."

Reporters from all over the place exchanged ideas with each other at the scene and soon came to a shocking conclusion, that is, the power of ATV might be transferred from the Lin family.

This news came out a few days ago.

It’s just that because Lin Baixin started buying back ATV shares from small shareholders during the Chinese New Year, the public, including the media, did not believe this rumor.

But with such a big event today and hundreds of reporters from newspapers and weeklies, few would disbelieve it if you said it wasn't a power transfer at ATV.

The time came to 9 o'clock.

On the originally empty stage, figures gradually began to appear from backstage.

Reporters at the scene quickly took out their cameras and started taking pictures.

First it was the father and son Lam Pak-yan and Lam Kin-yueh, then it was Yang Shoucheng of Eagle King Entertainment, and then it was Li Baoan, the current general manager of ATV.

Not long after these people appeared, an unexpected figure appeared.

“Lee Yi-seok! It’s Lee Yi-seok!”

"Oh my god, I knew it was going to be big news!"

"Could it be that Li Yishu controls ATV?"

"Impossible. How can he control ATV? Does he have so much money?"

"Haha, Li Yishu is really rich. His Art Entertainment Group has produced many movies in the United States that have been box office hits. His net worth is at least several hundred million dollars!"

"..."

The press box below the stage was in an uproar, with everyone wondering what impact Li Yishu's appearance would have on ATV.

After a while, everyone on the stage took their seats.

Lin Baixin is old, and in the past, Peter Lam was in charge of ATV's work, so he was the first to speak: "Thank you all for visiting our ATV. We invite you all to come here. This time, we are holding a press conference at ATV to announce three things."

"First, Mr. Lin Baixin is too old to serve as the chairman of the board of directors of Asia Television, so he has stepped down from the position of chairman of Asia Television. However, in recognition of Mr. Lin Baixin's outstanding contribution to Asia Television in recent years, he has been specially appointed as the permanent honorary chairman of Asia Television!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the audience was in an uproar. They did not expect that Lin Baixin would actually resign as chairman of the board.

Everyone knows that the chairman of ATV is the largest shareholder. Now that Lam Pak-yen has stepped down, does it represent a transfer of power by the largest shareholder?
Is it Peter Lam who will take over, or?

"The second thing is to hire Ms. Huo Wenxi, the vice president of Art Entertainment Group and the general manager of Pioneer Group, as the vice chairman of the board of directors of Asia Television and the chief administrative officer of Asia Television."

Huo Wenxi?
Most of the reporters at the scene were unfamiliar with this name. Only a very small number of reporters from technology magazines that focused on electronic products knew that Huo Wenxi was the general manager of Pioneer VCD.

"The third thing..."

Peter Lam glanced at the reporters below the stage, then looked at Li Yishu who was sitting next to him, and said into the microphone: "The Asia Television Board of Directors has decided to invite Mr. Li Yishu to join Asia Television and serve as the chairman of the board of directors of our Asia Television!"

wow-

The scene was in an uproar, and reporters rushed to ask, "Mr. Lin, has ATV changed its owner?"

"Does Director Lee Yi-su control ATV?"

"Is it because of the return of Hong Kong that ATV agreed to let Li Yishu control ATV?"

"..."

"Quiet!"

Peter Lam called out a few times, but the reporters in the audience had already lost their minds.

ATV has changed hands many times, but this time is of great significance. On the one hand, 1997 is approaching, and on the other hand, the person who took over ATV is the famous mainland director Li Yishu.

When these two things are combined, no one would not think twice.

(End of this chapter)