Heads Up Hollywood

When he left, Tang En's body was already in a mess.

This Versace suit, worth more than $50,000, was declared reimbursed.

But as a lady, Penelope Cruz was not harassed in the slightest.

After all, once her dress was sprayed with champagne...it would be embarrassing.

"They are too much!"

Penelope Cruz twisted Tang En's sleeve, and water came out, with a displeased expression on her face.

Tang En smiled indifferently and said, "It's okay, I'm happy."

"But this suit, I bought it!" Penelope Cruz complained dissatisfied.

"Then buy another set!" Tang En took her little hand, and saw that Chris Albrecht was leaving, so he waved, "Chris, come here, I'll take you to the hotel."

He used to work for HBO and lives in New York. Now I work at STA, and my home is in Denver. When I come to Los Angeles, I can only live in a hotel.

Chris Albrecht was not too polite, and directly got into Tang En's modified Lincoln sedan.

"This car door is really thick, not to mention bullets, bombs won't blow up, right?" Chris Albrecht couldn't help admiring as soon as he got into the car.

Tang En said helplessly: "Just this broken car cost me more than 2 million!"

Chris Albrecht said with a smile: "The tires of this kind of car are anti-riot tires with reinforced fibers, and steel rims are installed in the rims. Even if the tire blows out, it can still drive. And I think the door of this car is , the bulletproof steel plate is used, which should be the same material as the Boeing 757."

"Huh?" Tang En's eyes lit up, "You know a lot?"

Chris Albrecht smiled slightly, "Men, there are always some hobbies for luxury cars."

Tang En immediately said: "It's easy to say, as long as STA truly and thoroughly defeats HBO and becomes the veritable number one cable TV network in North America, I will reward you with such a modified car!"

"Thank you." Chris Albrecht's eyes showed some longing, but he did not lose his mind, and shook his head, "STA can become what it is today, all relying on content diversion, relying on "Six Feet" The influence of Underneath and Band of Brothers is your role and has nothing to do with me."

Tang En laughed, and patted him on the shoulder, "Don't underestimate yourself. To run a TV station, content is not enough. You also need channels, connections, equipment, and a team. Chris, don't let me down! "

Chris Albrecht nodded heavily, "I understand!"

Tang En gave a soft "hmm" and the car started to start slowly. Through the rearview mirror, Tang En glanced at Brian Roberts who was standing behind to see him off, and asked casually: "What do you think of little Roberts? "

Chris Albrecht pondered for a while, "I don't have much contact with you, but I feel...his temperament is quite similar to yours."

"oh?"

This actually aroused Tang En's curiosity.

"How should I put it, you all have an aura of 'I'm the only one' with a magnet effect. People who agree with you will be attracted to you, and you will naturally be the main one. Of course, there are still some people who are naturally repelled. The biggest gap You are 20 years younger than him."

Not to mention Tang En, even Penelope Cruz couldn't help pursing his lips and laughing when he heard this.

Chris Albrecht's remarks really summed it up well, but he quickly changed his tone, "Boss, I think...there is a problem with Comcast's strategy, at least for STA at this stage. Bad development."

Tang En narrowed his eyes: "Say!"

Chris Albrecht said: "In order to reduce operating losses, Comcast began to retire some installed users this week. They said that these dismissed users are some families who only subscribe to basic packages, with high subscriptions. The possibility of STA consumption is not high. However, families who only subscribe to the basic package do not mean that the consumption level is low, maybe they are not interested in general TV programs.”

Tang En nodded.

Encryption boxes require production costs, and the more invalid boxes, the more production costs and line installation costs operators have to invest. Although there is a deposit, the deposit is a liability and must be returned sooner or later.

Therefore, in the case of sufficient cash flow, reducing the delivery of invalid boxes will help reduce Comcast's operating costs.

In the current STA TV network, the installed capacity of encrypted boxes is 45 million households, and the paying users are 10 million.

According to Comcast, it is necessary to reduce the subscription ratio to 3:1, and they also have the theory that Time Warner's TV operation to HBO is such a ratio.

But the problem is that the growth of HBO's paid subscribers is sluggish. Of course, Time Warner has to reduce investment, because there are more HBO channels and the cost of encrypted boxes is higher.

And STA is in the stage of rapid development, the more installed users, the broader the market prospect. As STA's reputation becomes more and more famous, those installed users will definitely be unable to hold back and start the subscription service.

But when the encryption box is removed, I can't see it normally, so I don't have any thoughts.

This is the same reason that many businesses will provide free trials. If you don’t use it, you don’t want it. If you see it or use it, you will feel itchy.

Comcast's approach is obviously too much self-centered, while ignoring the interests of partners.

This is in line with the character of Brian Roberts.

Tang En said: "A large number of encrypted boxes is in line with STA's potential and future market development; tightening encrypted boxes is in line with Comcast's immediate interests, because 10 million subscribers have greatly exceeded their expectations."

Penelope Cruz also understood, and asked in surprise, "Comcast is so bad?"

Tang En glared at her, "Don't interrupt!"

Penelope Cruz stuck out her tongue, then pouted at him again, and snorted dissatisfiedly.

Obviously, the current relationship between the two has gone beyond the category of "female companion".

Of course, it is impossible to have a girlfriend. She does not meet the basic requirements, but she can develop in the direction of a good friend.

Chris Albrecht frowned and said in a deep voice: "Comcast only cares about its own immediate interests, and doesn't care about the future prospects of STA TV Network, even..."

"What?"

Chris Albrecht paused for a moment, then shook his head, "I just find it strange."

"Um?"

"Mr. Roberts... I mean the young Roberts who is in charge. He is a smart man. He must have heard some rumors about you and knows your strong character. Comcast's behavior this time is a bit... a bit rash, right? He Aren't you afraid to offend you?"

Tang En's body jerked violently, and he suddenly remembered something.

At this time, the car had arrived at the hotel where Chris Albrecht was staying, but he didn't get out of the car in a hurry, and turned to look at Dunn.

Tang En's face was livid, and he suddenly thought of what Brian Roberts had said to him at the reception.

Brian Roberts wants to team up with Dunn to suppress Disney's stock price!

Then... buy Disney!

Comcast's behavior of reducing the installed base of STA TV network this time may be... a real throwing stone to ask for directions!

"Is he really expressing his attitude that he wants to curb the scale of STA's development?"

Tang En instinctively had an association.

He has dealt with too many people in the business world, and he has recognized a principle: to speculate on opponents with the greatest malice!

From Disney's Michael Eisner and Roy Disney, to Viacom's Redstone, to Hollinger Group's Conrad Black, these business leaders are all planning their own plans , not a fuel-efficient lamp!

Although Tang En has not dealt with Murdoch yet, he has had many conflicts with 20th Century Fox. Even DreamWorks, which is also an independent film company and was supposed to join forces, had many conflicts.

The business world is plotting against each other, they are like dogs, and no one is more noble than the other!

"You said... Could Little Roberts do it on purpose?" Tang En boldly raised a hypothesis, "Tonight, he wants to cooperate with me...to do something, maybe this is a statement."

Chris Albrecht said in surprise, "No way? He's not afraid that we'll stop our cooperation?"

"Think again!"

Tang En's face was serious.

Chris Albrecht was silent for a while, and his face became very ugly, "The size of STA is too large now. The installation of tens of millions of encryption boxes and lines alone costs hundreds of millions of dollars. Small operations Businesses can’t take the risk at all. There are only three companies left in the whole of the United States that can play such a big game.”

Tang En nodded, "That's right, one is Comcast, the other is Time Warner, and the other is Disney!"

Chris Albrecht gritted his teeth and said: "Time Warner must focus on developing its own HBO, and it must be true to our STA. As for Disney, even if they can resolve the conflict with Tang En Pictures, they will not be able to operate STA. Large-scale TV stations, this is not in line with their corporate values. Humph, Comcast... this is nothing to fear!"

Tang En said: "Professional cable TV is a high-consumption and high-investment market. HBO is backed by Time Warner, and SHO is backed by Comcast, because Viacom and Comcast are closely related and mutually support each other. Shareholders. Of the three major TV networks, only our STA is left! This is rootless duckweed!"

Chris Albrecht said: "Could it be a tacit agreement between Redstone and Roberts?"

Tang En thought for a while, then shook his head, "Probably not. I have reached an agreement with Lei Shidong, and he will not play such a trick. It should be what Roberts meant."

Chris Albrecht frowned and said, "I didn't expect that STA would become a target for threats as it grows stronger!"

"Handling?" Tang En snorted coldly, his expression grim.

"Boss, you..."

Chris Albrecht had seen such an expression before. At that time, Tang En was provoked by HBO, reprimanded Wan Jin, slapped liquidated damages, and hired the entire content production team of HBO.

Tang En said coldly: "Just focus on developing STA! The guess just now had better be fake. If it is true, then don't blame me for being ruthless!"