America: My Time

Chapter 60 Television Station Reform

Chapter Sixty Television Station Reform

Tonight was a good night for John, a good conversation, and he got everything he wanted; for Naoko, it was an incredibly shocking night. She was in a daze all night, and everything that happened tonight was so unbelievable that she could hardly believe it.

Regardless of how much of TV Tokyo's shares John gave Naoko, it was a form of recognition and protection for her. Naoko had some worries before, but now she felt endless joy!
Looking at Naoko, who was somewhat excited but also a little dazed, John couldn't help but shake his head slightly. He wasn't in a hurry to dilute the shares of the toy company 'BioBio' that he controlled. He would wait until he had complete control of TV Tokyo and until Japan recognized the change of ownership of TV Tokyo before gradually diluting their shares to completely eliminate any potential risks.

Although he hadn't spent much time with Naoko, he already knew her quite well. Naoko was easygoing, had a wonderful personality, and showed no signs of youthful arrogance. Among idols who debuted around the same time, even those who were her competitors, he couldn't find fault with her. However, such a gentle personality was definitely a disadvantage in the entertainment industry, making her seem like an easy target for bullying in many people's eyes. Nevertheless, John really liked her gentle nature.

Many girls would have jumped for joy upon receiving such a large sum of money, but Naoko looked hesitant, mostly moved. She hadn't quite recovered yet. If John hadn't stopped her earlier, Naoko would have truly rejected this unexpected surprise.

John lifted Naoko's chin and noticed the moisture in her eyes. Naoko was already very pretty, but now, with her delicate, tearful appearance, she was even more alluring and captivating!
Just as John was about to speak again to persuade her, Naoko suddenly stood on tiptoe and threw herself into John's arms. This caused quite a stir. How could anyone resist the temptation of such a beautiful girl? Like thunder and lightning, they ignited a passionate fire in the room.

The morning hours are always short. With the Japanese authorities dealt with, the acquisition process has begun in full swing. The plans made earlier need to be implemented one by one, which requires a lot of funds. I need to personally discuss loan matters with the Japanese bank!

However, John underestimated his reputation in Japan. Before he could even take action, the banks came knocking on his door. When he reached an agreement with the Japanese government to clear the way for the acquisition of TV Tokyo, the major Japanese banks immediately learned of this and all wanted to take on the loan as soon as possible, knowing that John had the ability to repay.

While surprised by the frenzy of the Japanese banks, John's plans in Japan remained unaffected. Using the game world and Phoenix Comics & Animation as collateral, he quickly secured two billion US dollars from them, effectively spreading the word. He granted loan applications to any bank that approached him with below-normal interest rates, lending out substantial sums. However, the majority of these loans came from Mitsui Bank, given that Sony was a member of the Mitsui Group.

With Akio Morita's help, TV Tokyo changed hands. An understanding had been reached with the Japanese government before the acquisition. The acquisition did not have a negative impact on the Japanese public, nor did it cause any trouble. This is the power of capital. Under the control of capital, everything went very smoothly.

The company that acquired TV Tokyo's holding company, 'Bibbon' Toys, was not owned by Phoenix Group, but by Elite Agency, an inconspicuous talent agency. This acquisition was a boost to Elite Agency, as having TV Tokyo in hand would make it much easier to cultivate their own artists.

John didn't intend to interfere with the restructuring of TV Tokyo. Instead, he handed over detailed information he had prepared to Yoshiko Koizumi, asking her to discuss with TV Tokyo how to safely shift towards entertainment. This detailed information mentioned several entertainment programs, especially music programs, which were of paramount importance. Regarding dramas, it also provided suggestions to TV Tokyo on how to change them.

Many people don't understand John's emphasis on TV Tokyo, thinking it's an overstatement. They have no idea that the TV station will soon be experiencing a boom, and that planning ahead is the best approach, especially in the drama slot. John made a clear requirement that the TV station must control the two most popular evening drama slots, as well as the morning drama slot, and most importantly, the Monday 9 PM drama slot.

For its Monday night drama slot, TV Tokyo will invest heavily in dramas, producing three major series per season. In addition to dramas and entertainment programs, TV Tokyo has also confirmed a significant investment in animation, with Phoenix Comics and Animation as shareholders, ensuring they have no shortage of material. While some may find the elimination of news coverage unacceptable, producers and directors see the station's potential and future hope. The fact that the new owner has made arrangements so quickly after the change of ownership demonstrates the new owner's commitment.

The reforms at TV Tokyo came quickly and were also in line with John's promises. The Japanese authorities had initially been somewhat worried, fearing that John would deliberately delay and not give up on news reporting. However, the changes at TV Tokyo made them realize they were wrong. John really did not want to manipulate Japanese public opinion; he only wanted to develop the entertainment industry. The changes at TV Tokyo were good proof of this.

After acquiring TV Tokyo, Phoenix Animation immediately sprang into action, fully committing to developing its own animation, with Dragon Ball as its first project. With TV Tokyo's support, Phoenix Animation's growth was rapid. In contrast, Elite Studio remained hidden behind the scenes, almost nonexistent, only responsible for overall direction and financial oversight, handling nothing else!

The delegation of power—the Elite Agency giving Tokyo TV complete control and granting them maximum freedom—was a huge boon for the top management of Tokyo TV, finally putting their worries to rest!

John only made a brief appearance at the successful acquisition ceremony for TV Tokyo, where he had a short exchange with the executives and expressed his approval of them. He noted that the delegation of authority had stimulated TV Tokyo's creativity.

Although the station only invests in three TV series per season, and John's requirements are simple—to strive for excellence and use resources wisely—the station fully supports the three major TV series. The funds saved from cutting news projects are also invested in other entertainment programs, so the station is not under financial pressure.

Although there was some initial chaos during the transition, it was quickly quelled because no changes were made at the top, and everything returned to normal. John didn't put pressure on TV Tokyo regarding dramas; after all, TV Tokyo was the worst of the five major commercial broadcasters, and it would take time to catch up with the other four.

TV Tokyo's sudden transformation was known to the other four major commercial broadcasters, who were also familiar with its plans. The key question for the four broadcasters became whether to continue competing or pursue independent development. TV Tokyo had a clear plan: only three dramas per season, with animation and entertainment programs as its core focus. This put the other four broadcasters in a difficult position: should they compete with TV Tokyo in dramas, or tacitly defend their respective territories?

In the world of television dramas, it's a winner-takes-all dynamic. Unless there's a deep-seated grudge, no one is willing to fight each other. If they fail, the losses are too great. Even if they don't fail, the competition between the two sides will still affect their own interests.

TV Tokyo now only airs twelve dramas a year. Actually, it's not exactly twelve; the morning drama slot is different. The station's core business is animation, which is a huge blow to the four major commercial broadcasters, and even NHK. It can be said that their conflicts of interest have been minimized. Although some people are unwilling to compromise, the station executives aren't fools; they won't do things that harm others without benefiting themselves. Through communication, the five major commercial broadcasters finally sat down and compromised, agreeing on their respective drama slot times.

Compared to the other four major commercial broadcasters, TV Tokyo faced the least pressure, producing only twelve dramas a year. This scale was truly small. The complete shift to animation made the other four major broadcasters stop considering TV Tokyo a competitor. A broadcaster primarily focused on animation no longer earned their attention, and they simply ignored TV Tokyo's existence.

This is exactly the result John wanted to see. What TV Tokyo needs now is a smooth transition. As long as it can get through the first two years and all the plans are implemented, the four major commercial broadcasters will see the power of high-quality dramas and the power of animation!

(End of this chapter)