Chapitre 177: Chapter 177: Don’t Wait to See a Small Book
---
"Taylor, you appeared on the puppet show *Sesame Street* today. How did you find it? Was it fun?" Elaine asked.
"It was fun! The director told me during filming that it's like playing with friends. Big Bird, Grover, Elmo, and Cookie Monster—sometimes they're good, sometimes bad, but they're always following me around," Taylor said with a smile.
The 15-year-old girl looked as beautiful as an angel. With her striking purple eyes and sweet smile, she could easily capture anyone's heart.
"Let's talk about your movie *This Killer Is Not So Cold*. It's been out for two weeks now, and the box office has already reached $6 million. It's likely to become this year's box office champion. Mr. Grant, Miss Taylor, how do you feel about that? Are you happy?" Elaine asked.
"Of course, I'm happy," Gary Grant replied with a smile.
"I was excited for a long time when I heard the news," Taylor added.
"Only for a long time?"
"Oh, I eventually fell asleep after being over-excited," Taylor said playfully, sticking out her tongue.
The audience laughed along with her.
"Mr. Grant, what do you think of Taylor's performance in the movie?" Elaine asked.
"She was outstanding. I've worked with many actresses, and Taylor is definitely one of the best. Her acting is incredibly vivid," Grant praised.
The talk show had a relaxed atmosphere. The host and guests chatted like friends, the audience could ask questions, and viewers could call in to interact. This format was fresh and engaging.
The entire program lasted an hour and a half, with two commercial breaks. Remarkably, the audience didn't change the channel during the commercials, showing how engaged they were.
NBC executives watched the show from the broadcast room. They had been there all day, and some were already showing signs of fatigue.
As they observed the interview, one executive commented, "We have talk shows too. This isn't new. In our surveys, our talk shows also ranked high in audience popularity."
Back then, gathering TV ratings wasn't as easy as it is today, where you can see results instantly on a computer. Data was collected through surveys, so feedback was slower. It often took a month or two to gauge a program's popularity.
"But this live interaction and call-in format is something worth learning from. It gives the audience a sense of involvement. When the host asks questions, it feels like they're speaking directly to a star. That experience is definitely appealing."
One executive pondered and asked, "Can we adopt this format?"
"Sure, but I'm afraid ABC will copyright it," someone responded.
NBC President sighed.
The heads of several film companies also took notice. They realized that television interviews could play an excellent role in promoting films during their release.
MGM boss Meyer wondered if, because of this interview, the movie *The Killer Isn't Too Cold* could see a box office boost the next day.
Such an increase would benefit him too.
The interview ended with enthusiastic applause from the audience. Elaine's debut was flawless, and many viewers remembered the smart and beautiful ABC TV hostess.
After the talk show, a major commercial aired.
"The Hardy Hotel Las Vegas is opening soon—come visit!"
In the ad, a grand casino resembling a palace was shown, with rows of slot machines, dozens of gaming tables, and a crowd of excited players.
The ad highlighted the bar, gym, tennis room, swimming pool, and hotel amenities.
Good drinks, beautiful people, excitement, and joy.
The final scene featured a group of young women in bikinis, inviting people to Las Vegas before jumping into the water with cheers.
The casino would open in two weeks, and Hardy was heavily promoting it, ensuring its grand opening would be a success.
After the commercial, the movie *Red Dead Redemption* was aired.
This was one of the evening's highlights.
*Red Dead Redemption* was released last year, becoming the box office champion and winning impressive accolades at this year's Golden Globe and Oscar Awards.
Many people marveled at ABC's generosity, airing such a high-quality film on TV. Once a movie was shown on television, it was almost impossible to screen it in theaters again.
Now, viewers could watch for free, leaving them feeling they had gained something special. Other TV stations were destined to have lower ratings that night.
As the movie played, NBC and CBS executives returned to their meeting rooms.
They knew ABC's show was a game-changer.
Next, they had to figure out how to deal with ABC's rapid rise.
Even though it was only the first day of ABC's broadcasting, both stations felt a strong sense of crisis.
After watching ABC's programs, their own seemed inferior, and they worried the audience would feel the same.
If ABC maintained this quality, their two networks would lose viewers, and with them, advertising revenue. The future looked challenging.
A vice president said angrily, "How much did it cost to produce all these shows? Jon Hardy is really willing to burn money."
Another executive added, "Well, he has the money. Just Playboy Magazine alone could probably fund a TV station."
"The question is, what do we do now? Do we extend our programming hours and produce more high-quality content?" the president asked, frowning.
For a moment, the other executives remained silent.
Previously, they aired five hours of programming daily, from 6 to 11 in the evening. But ABC aired from 8 in the morning until midnight—a full 16 hours, more than three times their airtime.
To match ABC, they'd need to add 11 more hours of programming. The thought alone was daunting.
Plus, ABC's programs were of such high quality. Producing similar content would require significant investment—would the board approve?
It seemed many problems had no easy solutions.
One vice president suggested, "President, maybe we should consider TV shopping. Even if it's a legal risk, let ABC sue. It takes time for cases to go to court, and our lawyers can drag it out for at least six months. Even if we lose the lawsuit, we could compensate. In the meantime, we can earn a lot of money. Once the board sees the profits, they might not care about the lawsuit, and we can use the money to create more programs."
The president was tempted by the idea of TV shopping.
He thought for a moment and said, "I'll discuss this with the chairman."
"You all should go back and draft a development plan for the TV station. Submit it to me in two days. If we don't want to be outpaced by ABC, we must improve. Let's brainstorm and find ways to counter ABC. Meeting adjourned."
After watching TV all day, they were exhausted.
CBS executives were also studying ABC's strategy, recognizing the threat it posed. They realized ABC was operating on a different level entirely.
CBS executives held their meeting until after 3 AM, finally deciding on several strategies.
They knew they needed to increase their programming hours, at least during prime time. Producing high-end content was unrealistic for every show, but ABC's educational programs inspired them.
They planned to create simple programs like chess tutorials, card games, and language lessons.
They even considered shows on appliance repair and fishing.
As for high-quality content, they agreed to produce one or two shows to keep viewers engaged. They would take cues from ABC but avoid outright copying to prevent infringement.
Meanwhile, the film industry giants who had previously dismissed the television industry as insignificant were now paying attention. After seeing ABC's high production values, they realized that television could be a significant competitor.
Watching a movie required driving to the theater, buying tickets, and dealing with the weather and other factors. In contrast, TV offered convenience—viewers could stay home in their pajamas and enjoy their favorite programs.
These film moguls, who had once been skeptical, now acknowledged TV's potential.
The next day, several major newspapers reported on ABC's launch.
"ABC's programming is fresh and engaging, holding viewers' attention. If the other two networks don't adapt, they'll be left far behind."
"With 11 more hours of programming and a significant improvement in quality, ABC's boss clearly has big ambitions. NBC and CBS have been outdone, but we, the audience, benefit because we get better entertainment."
"A week from now, the *Los Angeles Times* will conduct a new TV station survey, including ABC."
At 8 AM the next day, ABC resumed broadcasting.
People knew that other networks had no daytime programming, so they naturally tuned in to ABC.
Today's segment wasn't *Estée Lauder Teaches You Makeup*, but a show called *Beautiful Kitchen*, teaching housewives how to make delicious meals.
A gentle woman in her thirties spoke to the audience in a conversational tone, guiding them through recipes for cakes, toast, egg tarts, sandwiches, salads, grilled meats, chicken wings, ribs, and more.
The show featured a wide variety of ingredients and appliances. The station had partnered with suppliers for product placements—over a hundred kitchen tools and ingredients were used.
Given the exposure, would an advertiser hesitate to pay $2,000 per spot?
With such calculations, *Beautiful Kitchen* could easily generate $2 million annually from advertising, an impressive income.
After the cooking segment, a documentary was aired: *The Battle of Iwo Jima*.
This documentary, produced by Hardy, depicted the fierce battle between the U.S. and Japanese forces over Iwo Jima. Hardy had secured footage from the military, thanks to his connections, and HD Pictures had produced the documentary.
This type of production was straightforward for HD Pictures, combining archival footage with voiceover commentary in just a few days.
In the documentary, the U
.S. Marines struggled to capture Iwo Jima, with both sides suffering significant casualties. Eventually, the U.S. emerged victorious, and the Marines raised the American flag, capturing the iconic photo that still resonates with many.
The documentary not only satisfied viewers' curiosity but also boosted American pride.
When a man returned home from work, he asked his wife, "Did you see *The Battle of Iwo Jima* today? It was excellent. The U.S. Marines are so admirable."
The wife chuckled, "I didn't watch that. I watched *Beautiful Kitchen* and learned how to make braised pork. I'll cook it for you this weekend."
"Sure, that sounds good. I'm happy as long as you're happy."
NBC and CBS executives were on edge. Their heads were buzzing as they watched ABC's new programs.
ABC's series of shows, from makeup tutorials to cooking lessons, documentaries, and interviews, had each become instant hits, leading to an all-time high in TV viewership.
The networks' response was clear: "They have a show, we'll have a show. We'll produce more content, even if it means working around the clock."
But they also knew they couldn't outcompete ABC on every front.
The station that once stood in the shadows now seemed poised to lead the charge.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone