Seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune, I became a legend in the entertainment industry by avo

Chapter 169 Industry Shock

At midnight, topics about Zhang Qilin and "Star News Express" were still prominently featured on the trending topics lists of major social media platforms.

On Tianya Forum, a pinned post has over 3,000 replies, titled:

Retrospective: How Zhang Qilin Defeated an Entertainment Media Company

The author's analysis is very insightful: "Many people think this is just an ordinary celebrity rights protection case, but let me tell you, this is a textbook-level crisis public relations battle."

The tactics employed by "Star News Express" can be considered a classic example of information warfare.

First, they released a GIF taken out of context, labeling Zhang Qilin as arrogant and diva-like.

The label of "difficult to cooperate with".

This is used to set agendas, incite emotions, and provoke moral judgment.

This has dragged Zhang Qilin into an endless debate about whether he acted like a diva.

Whether you issue a statement, engage in verbal sparring, or beg for forgiveness in private, you will only fall into the trap set by the other party to "prove your innocence," making things worse the more you try to explain.

However, Zhang Qilin and his team's reaction completely exceeded expectations.

Instead of fighting a self-proof battle, they directly initiated criminal self-prosecution, property preservation, and account freezing.

The battleground shifted from public opinion and moral judgment to legal and factual judgment, and the initiative changed hands instantly.

From silence to the production team's statement, then to the Beijing People's Art Theatre's statement, the release of a series of negative stories, and finally the unveiling of the court summons.

The opponent was on the defensive the entire time, and had no time to react before being caught off guard.

"Star News Express" wanted to exploit Chang Chi-lin's "diva behavior" issue, but Chang Chi-lin chose to focus on whether the media was spreading rumors and whether they should be held accountable.

He's not trying to prove I'm not being arrogant, he's trying to prove you're spreading rumors.

The former is a self-proving trap, while the latter is a radical solution.

In the comments section, highly-rated replies kept coming: "The original poster's analysis is thorough. This isn't just a newbie, this is a top-tier newbie."

"How many people did Li Yan smear before? This time someone has finally taken action against her."

"To be honest, I was indifferent to Zhang Qilin before, but I admire what he did this time. He has a temper, he has methods, and he is in the right. It would be an injustice if someone like him didn't become famous."

"Don't be so quick to boast, the lawsuit isn't over yet, what if—"

"There's no 'what if' situation. The accounts are frozen, and the magazine can't even pay salaries. Do you think there's any chance of a comeback?"

A few voices questioned: "Is it really necessary to be so harsh? It's just one report; is it really necessary to bankrupt a company?"

The comment was quickly flooded with replies: "When someone throws dirty water on you, don't complain."

"Just a report? Do you know what this kind of fabrication means for a newcomer?"

"Holy Mother, begone! How many people has Li Yan harmed through spreading rumors? Have you counted?"

"I support Zhang Qilin and support protecting rights through legal means. Those who maliciously spread rumors should pay the price."

With the exposure of the dark history of "Star News Express", legal proceedings have been initiated.

Online, voices supporting Zhang Qilin are the mainstream.

"Support Zhang Qilin in defending his rights."

"Severely punish unscrupulous media outlets."

"The internet is not a lawless zone."

It has become the mainstream voice.

Zhang Qilin transformed from a newcomer suspected of being arrogant into a positive role model who dared to use legal means to fight against cyberbullying and media rumors.

His public image and popularity have actually improved rather than declined.

Zhang Qilin's fans have experienced a rollercoaster of emotions lately.

From initial anger and resentment, to later restraint and forbearance, and now to triumph.

"Family members, Brother Lin really filed a lawsuit, and the court has accepted it," a fan excitedly announced in the group chat.

"I'm so happy! He also said, 'Tolerance doesn't mean indulgence,' that's such a cool line."

"So you told us not to engage in a verbal battle before because you were waiting for your lawyer to gather evidence, right? Brother Lin is so shrewd—"

"It's not just Brother Lin alone; the Beijing People's Art Theatre and the entire production crew are helping him. What does this show? It shows that Brother Lin is a decent person; true gold fears no fire."

"The magazine's dark history has been completely exposed. They used to spread rumors about many celebrities, and they finally got their comeuppance."

"Sisters, should we organize a campaign to report all of that media outlet's social media accounts?"

"Calm down," the administrator appeared just in time. "Brother Lin's lawyer has already started the legal process. We shouldn't act rashly to avoid causing trouble for Brother Lin. The most important thing now is to support Brother Lin's work and pay attention to 'The 1911 Revolution.' Let the work speak for itself; that's the most powerful support."

The group was filled with agreement.

The "Star News Express" incident has become a landmark event in the field of entertainment reporting.

Many self-media outlets and marketing accounts consciously added a disclaimer when reposting related news, stating that they should "be rational when consuming gossip" and rely on official information.

Some entertainment accounts that usually start with a single picture and rely entirely on fabricated content have become noticeably more cautious in their wording when it comes to Zhang Qilin.

The following morning, in a coffee shop in a media industrial park in Kyoto.

The editors-in-chief of several entertainment media outlets sat together, their computers displaying the latest industry news.

"Have you heard? Li Yan has been taken away to assist in the investigation," one of them said in a low voice. "The tax authorities have also initiated an investigation."

"This isn't the first time she's done this. No one has ever dared to take it this seriously before," another person said, scrolling through their phone. "The key is how quickly the court acted. The pre-trial injunction and property preservation were done in one go. I've never seen such efficiency before."

"That shows they were well-prepared," the middle-aged man sitting in the corner put down his coffee cup, his tone calm. "How long was it between the release of the press release and the counterattack? More than ten hours. In such a short time, to complete the whole process of securing evidence, getting a legal team involved, filing a case in court, and guiding public opinion, is something that ordinary public relations companies cannot do."

"You mean—" someone asked tentatively.

"I didn't say anything," the middle-aged man stood up, picked up his coat, "I just wanted to remind everyone that before taking on these kinds of jobs, you should check the other party's background first. Don't ruin the whole business for a little bit of traffic."

"That's true, but we in the media make a living by following trending topics. How are we going to keep up with these trends in the future?" someone complained helplessly.

The female editor looked at everyone seriously: "Just like Lao Chen said, do more research before accepting orders. Let's try to stay away from people like Zhang Qilin."

""

"That's not how you put it," a man who had been sitting silently in the corner looked up. "We media people make our living from traffic. No matter how powerful Zhang Qilin is, can he sue the entire industry? As long as we gather solid evidence, what can he do?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present exchanged glances and remained silent.

The coffee shop fell silent for a moment.

A magazine publishing house went bankrupt, and an editor-in-chief was finished.

And all of this started with just a GIF, who would have thought?

The course of the "Star News Express" incident may seem to ordinary netizens as a gratifying act of justice.

However, in the eyes of some commercial brands, especially those closely associated with the entertainment industry and high-end consumer goods companies, this is a different story.

This incident reveals Zhang Qilin's unique value, which far exceeds his current fame.

In a conference room in the China World Trade Center Phase 3 that overlooks Chang'an Avenue.

An internal discussion is underway regarding the selection of a new brand ambassador for the new season.

The Issue Center is a luxury watch positioned as "cutting-edge, bold, and rich in heritage".

The marketing director projected several candidate profiles onto the screen.

One of the photos is a profile of Zhang Qilin at the opening ceremony of "The 1911 Revolution," with clear eyes and an upright posture.

"Zhang Qilin, an actor from the Beijing People's Art Theatre, currently only has one unreleased work, 'The 1911 Revolution,' but his popularity and public image have seen a significant rise recently," the marketing director explained. "Especially this dispute with 'Star News Express,' which was handled extremely well."

"Impressive?" A vice president in charge of public relations raised an eyebrow. "That's quite a commotion, suing a media outlet to the point of bankruptcy. Isn't that a bit too extreme? The brand ambassadors we need need to have a positive and stable image, preferably without too much controversy."

"Mr. Wang, I understand your concerns," the marketing director switched the PowerPoint presentation, "but judging from the results, he quickly transformed from 'the one being questioned' into 'a rights activist and victim,' and public sympathy and approval ratings increased significantly."

He looked around at everyone present: "This demonstrates that his team has efficient, precise and powerful crisis public relations, legal operations and public opinion guidance capabilities, which means extremely strong risk resistance in the current public opinion environment."

Another, slightly older, brand manager spoke up: "You mean, he can quickly resolve problems and even turn the tide when faced with malicious attacks?"

"That's right," the marketing director nodded. "For brands, this means a significant reduction in cooperation risks. We've seen too many cases where brands have suffered heavy losses due to sudden negative news about celebrities. Zhang Qilin has demonstrated a rare ability to turn crises into opportunities, which is a scarce guarantee of security."

He pointed to Zhang Qilin's profile and added, "After this incident, people both inside and outside the industry will reassess his importance. Collaborating with him can itself send a signal that a brand 'emphasizes quality, is unafraid of challenges, and supports legitimate rights,' which is a alignment of values."

The meeting room fell silent for a moment as several senior executives exchanged their opinions in hushed tones.

At the same time, many other brands are also secretly observing Zhang Qilin.

In the ever-changing world of fame and fortune in the entertainment industry, an artist's popularity and ability to handle crises are often important indicators for brands to measure their commercial value.

However, Zhang Qilin, who has been the focus of much attention, is still on the filming set at the Haizhou Open-pit Coal Mine in Fuxin, receiving final training.

After two days of training, director Zhang Li just announced that filming will officially begin tomorrow.

Zhang Qilin went to the side to rehydrate, watching the actors he had spent several days with, both excited and nervous because of Director Zhang Li's words.

Just then, Zhang Qilin's cell phone vibrated in his pocket.

He took it out and saw that it was a call from Zhou Fang.

As soon as Zhang Qilin answered the phone, he heard Zhou Fang's deliberately lowered voice: "Mr. Zhang, Li Yan wants to meet with you privately."

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