America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 234, Section 233: The Dispute

"TV programs these days are becoming increasingly daring and explicit; they're always producing and broadcasting adult content, which is a terrible phenomenon!"

In the video footage, Republican Congressman Kimberly Carter expresses his views when questioned.

"Mr. Congressman, are you saying there's too much sexual activity?" the reporter pressed.

"No, sex is only one aspect. In addition, there is a lot of profanity, violence, killing, blood, and even blasphemy. This is terrible and will have a serious negative impact on teenagers, especially children."

"But we have a rating system."

"Yes, I acknowledge the role and necessity of a rating system, but you have to understand that review is also done by people, and the rules are often vague, which is why the MPAA can skirt the rules."

"These companies don't do hardcore pornography; they don't allow actors to publicly expose their private parts, but as long as a small piece of cloth is covered, everything becomes permissible."

"But is this practice reasonable? Absolutely not! This is softcore pornography, it's skirting the line, that little piece of fabric is an insult to people's intelligence."

"And can you guarantee that your child won't secretly watch adult channels? We all know that's too easy. Parents can't watch their children 24/7; they have to work."

"Congressman Kimberly, what is your opinion?"

"We are drafting a bill to re-evaluate the issue of television program censorship and to make the standards clearer."

"This is saving our next generation, and saving the next generation is saving America!"

After watching the interview, Eric crossed his legs.

Since last year, Republicans have been making trouble for television media, hoping to pass new legislation to set new boundaries.

Nudity, violence, and pornography are just excuses; ultimately, they want to seize control of setting new standards.

Once the power to formulate regulations is obtained, it will be possible to effectively curb those media outlets that are not obedient and side with the Democratic Party.

Only by controlling the media can one better promote oneself and suppress opponents, and win more votes; this is the root of the problem.

In the United States, media outlets are mainly divided into four categories when it comes to taking political sides.

The first category is the Republican Party, also known as the conservatives, represented by figures such as George W. Bush and later, Reeves, and represented by the media outlet Fox News.

The second group consists of those who support the Democratic Party, also known as the radicals. Their representatives are well-known figures, including media outlets like NBC and CNN, and their influence is far greater than that of those who support the Republican Party.

There's a saying that goes, "Hollywood is the Democratic Party's vote bank." And who's behind Hollywood? It's a bunch of film and television companies, media outlets, and television stations.

The third category consists of those who are absolutely neutral and do not take sides, represented by the television station PBS, which mainly broadcasts educational and children's content and has very low commercial value.

The fourth type is like the people of Goose Town in "Let the Bullets Fly," who will side with whoever wins. This type includes companies like CBS, ABC, and MTV.

Every so often, Republican lawmakers come forward to propose amending the bill.

However, the Democratic Party strongly opposes it, so things are not so easy to accomplish.

As someone deeply involved in entertainment and social media, Eric naturally expressed strong opposition to the bill.

After thinking for a moment, he picked up his phone and dialed a number.

"John Adams, Eric, what's up with calling me?"

"Nothing much, I just finished watching Fox News. A congressman named Kimberly Carter is promoting the idea that television is harmful again."

"Kimberley Carter? I know him. He's been in politics for over thirty years and has a certain standing within the Republican Party. He's an old man."

"John, are you aware of this? The Republicans are pushing a new bill; what are their motives?"

John Adams laughed a few times: "Eric, someone as smart as you wouldn't understand? Don't be ridiculous."

"I have some ideas, but I need to verify them with you. I'm not involved in politics, but you're a rising star. Military and politics are intertwined, after all."

"My answer is the same as what you know, but you don't need to worry at all; it won't have a big impact on MGM."

"It's almost impossible for this bill to pass, even though George W. Bush is in power now. Whatever the Republicans want to do, Congress will definitely block it."

"Unless something happens suddenly that has a huge social impact, causing serious public outrage and forcing the Democratic Party to back down."

"However, such things are not so easy to happen, let alone escalate and explode, because the Democratic Party will definitely try its best to suppress the impact."

"Cases like same-sex marriage, which have had a huge impact across the country, are the result of decades of struggle; they cannot be achieved overnight."

"So, you're saying we don't need to worry about this?"

"There's no need. Instead of wasting time on this, we should hurry up and launch Lionheart Online. I haven't even asked yet if the preparations are complete."

John Adams owns 5% of Lionheart.com, and these shares will be worth at least several billion dollars in the future.

"It'll be soon. I just need to strengthen my own capabilities to prepare for the upcoming war, which is why I've kept delaying the launch of Lionheart Online. Actually, I'm more anxious than you are."

"Eric, you seem to be worried about something?"

"Yes, it's something that happens within the industry."

"If it's limited to the entertainment industry, then I probably can't help. None of my family members or friends are in the entertainment industry."

Are there any people involved in cultural and educational work?

"Yes, we have this."

"The military and politics are inseparable, as are the arts and entertainment. There might really be a time when I need your help."

"Okay, then speak up."

dong dong dong.

There was a knock on the door, and Eric hung up the phone.

A woman in a business suit walked in, wearing low red high heels, her long brown hair tied up in a bun.

A pair of glasses sat on her beautiful face, and through the lenses, one could see her deep blue pupils, somewhat resembling Alessandra Daddario.

She is Carol Lei, 42 years old, Eric's new secretary, and is currently in the process of handing over the reins to Chen Xing.

Eric's original intention was to find another young male secretary, and the shortlist of candidates presented to him consisted of two men and one woman, the woman being Carol Rey.

She has many years of work experience and is far more capable than two men in their twenties; at least the transition period won't be long.

However, Eric still didn't want to hire her, since women of that age need to take care of their families and probably wouldn't be able to keep up with his work pace.

But after the interview, she discovered that Carole had just become single again last year. Her husband had died in a drunk driving accident that plunged into a river, and the insurance company wouldn't pay a single penny, suddenly increasing the burden of her life.

So she left her comfortable small company and applied to MGM in hopes of getting a higher salary and better benefits.

She has only one daughter who is currently in college, so she is currently the only one in the family. She can handle overtime work and is willing to endure hardship.

Eric, considering the company's impending situation and the fact that it would be very busy in the future, weighed the pros and cons and decided to give her a chance.

I've been working here for a week now, and I've quickly settled into my work routine. There's no need to worry about how well I'm adapting to the role.

"Boss, this is the information on newly recruited employees, a total of 562 people. Except for the marketing department, which has more, the other departments are about the same."

"I categorized them according to their work ability and years of service, so you can get a clear understanding of them."

Eric took the file and flipped through it. MGM's work plans had increased significantly this year, and the company had resumed its listing, so it was time to hire a new batch of employees.

Besides MGM, Facebook and YouTube also need to hire another batch of staff before this summer, as the rapid expansion has created a lot of work pressure.

Even with high salaries and bonuses, people aren't springs; if they're always stretched, they'll eventually break down.

Moreover, given Facebook's current scale, it is bound to expand overseas this year, which will require even more manpower.

"Let me take a look first, you can go out now."

Carol nodded and turned to leave the office.

Her skin was fair, and her breasts were enormous, probably a G cup. They even trembled a few times when she turned around, which, given the momentum, indicated that they were definitely genuine.

Her butt is also very perky. At this age, you can still maintain such an excellent figure. Talent and perseverance are both indispensable.

bell!

Eric was flipping through the files in his hand when his phone suddenly rang. It was Jenny.

After the call connected, I could clearly feel the noise on the other end; the music and people shouting were very loud and jarring.

"Jenny, it's a bit noisy over there. You'd better speak louder."

"Go ahead and make a scene. I'm rehearsing for the Super Bowl halftime show, and I'll be on stage in a few hours. You haven't forgotten, have you?"

"Haha, how could that be? Mike and I will be going to watch it live. The NFL gave me tickets, saying it's the best viewing spot."

"But this stuff is really expensive. A VIP ticket costs $6, and a regular ticket costs over $4000. It's practically robbery. It's way more profitable than movies."

Jenny: "But this competition only happens once a year, while your movie can be shown all year round. There's no comparison between the two."

"Besides, for someone as super-rich as you, is there any difference between a $6 ticket and a $6000 ticket? They're just numbers."

"You can't say that. My money is very useful and not enough to spend. At least it's not time for me to waste it."

The two chatted for a few minutes, and the noise from the other side decreased considerably.

"Eric, I've found a secluded spot. How's it going? Can you hear me clearly?"

"Hmm, much clearer now. What exactly are you trying to say, Jenny?"

Jenny took a deep breath: "Eric, regarding your warning from the other day, I think it's happening."

"Hmm? About the performance? You mean Justin Black contacted you?"

"Yes, he said he wanted to add some more exciting actions to the performance in order to attract more attention and increase the ratings. He hopes to break the ratings record this year."

"What action?"

"He would suddenly tear off my bra near the end of the performance, revealing my bra."

"You agreed?" Eric asked warily.

"Of course not, how could I agree to such an unreasonable request? I gave him a good scolding and refused."

"Good, that's right, Jenny. You just need to put on a normal show. There's no need to sacrifice yourself for a little bit of ratings."

"Wait, I'm not finished yet. After I rejected it, Justin Black approached the program directors at CBS and MTV. They were very interested in the proposal, and now all three parties are persuading me to accept it."

Are they putting pressure on you?

"Yes, CBS is the broadcaster of this year's Super Bowl, and MTV is the producer of the halftime show. You know what they represent. CBS is also the organizer of the next Grammy Awards and has the power to decide which singers to invite and which not to invite. I'm in a difficult position now, and the pressure is really great."

"They also suggested that I use nipple covers to cover my core to ensure that I wouldn't expose myself."

Justin Din Black also assured that he would be very careful, and CBS said that if anything unexpected happened on set, they would immediately switch to rehearsal footage.

"In short, the measures are comprehensive and thorough, and it doesn't seem so bad. To be honest, I'm even a little tempted."

"Eric, maybe this is actually a good idea. You know Madonna's concerts are much bolder, so me just showing my bra isn't a big deal!"

"Moreover, it has a good promotional effect for The Voice and my new album, so maybe I should accept it, but I always feel that I should ask for your opinion."

"You said someone wants to harm me, can you confirm that?"

Jenny's tone and mindset clearly took a turn for the worse. She was alone, and it was hard for her to withstand the pressure from CBS and MTV. Fortunately, she still knew to ask herself for advice.

"Jenny, this is a sensitive time. Don't do anything foolish! Do you understand the current situation?"

"What?"

Eric briefly explained the situation.

"Jenny, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. The Republicans are currently struggling to find a suitable target to launch a major attack, so you absolutely mustn't become the one chosen as a prime example!"

Jenny was somewhat surprised: "Has it gotten that serious? But I don't understand. CBS and MTV are supposed to be neutral media outlets, right? Why would they do this?"

"Because it's George W. Bush in power now, not the Democrats. Listen to me, don't do anything stupid, understand?"

"Okay, okay, I won't joke around with my career. Asking for your opinion first was definitely the right thing to do."

"FUCK! These guys are trying to use me as a weapon!"

"Gun? Jenny, guns are an overestimation. They're just using you as a sacrifice, sacrificing you for the benefit of many others."

In an instant, Jenny suddenly felt a chill run through her entire body.

"They're all sons of bitches, I'll make them pay, especially that bastard Justin Ding Black, that scumbag!"

"Don't be impulsive, Jenny!"

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hit him. I'll have a better way."

"What do you want to do?"

"I haven't decided yet, but we'll see!"

(End of this chapter)