Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 48: The King of Media

The meeting just ended.

Liu Xuri, director of the advertising department of Beijing Film and Television Company, appeared at the office door.

"Brother Liu..."

Wang Sheng welcomed Liu Xuri into his office and poured him a cup of tea.

"My colleagues saw you come back, and I happened to need to talk to you, so I came over to check on you. How's the big order in Lucheng going?"

"It went fairly smoothly, Brother Liu. What's up?"

Liu Xuri didn't mince words and got straight to the point: "Here's the thing, the matchmaking program you planned has been preliminarily approved, and Director Hu has secured an opportunity for you to be piloted on the arts and culture channel."

Wang Sheng perked up: "Oh? How exactly?"

"The station decided to test the waters on the arts and culture channel during a non-prime time slot, and do three episodes to see the market response."

Liu Xuri continued, "Director Hu was just about to talk to you and Manager Zhao from Purple House about advertising sponsorship. So, are you free tonight?"

"Then please arrange for me to meet Director Hu at Wumingju at 7 PM tonight."

"Okay, then please inform Manager Zhao."

"it is good."

After Liu Xuri left, Wang Sheng called Manager Zhao.

"Manager Zhao, this is Wang Sheng."

"Just got back. I have something to tell you. There's been some progress with that dating show. Beijing TV has agreed to a pilot broadcast and they'd like to discuss advertising sponsorship tonight. I was wondering if you'd be free?"

"it is good."

……

7 PM, Wumingju.

The private room was decorated in an antique style and had an elegant atmosphere.

When Wang Sheng and Liu Xuri entered the private room, Hu Gang was already there, chatting and drinking tea with a man who looked to be in his early thirties, wore glasses, and had a capable demeanor.

The man was dressed in a simple white shirt and trousers, and his eyes held the keenness and energy characteristic of a media professional.

"Director Hu."

"Director Hu, who is this?"

Hu Gang introduced, "This is Wang Changtian, the planner assigned by the station to the program 'It's You'."

Chang Tian is a rising star in our station, one of the chief planners of the "Beijing Express" program, which is incredibly popular!

Wang Changtian stood up, extended his hand to Wang Sheng, and said with a hearty smile, "Mr. Wang, I've heard so much about you. I've seen the veil kiss ad you filmed; it was incredibly creative."

"Planner Wang, you flatter me. I was just lucky. I watch 'Beijing Express' often; it's fast-paced, packed with information, and very well done." Wang Sheng smiled and shook hands with him, but a slight thought stirred within him.

He turned out to be the future boss of Enlight Media.

"It seems Mr. Wang is also an audience member of our program. What an honor," Wang Changtian said with a smile, and the two exchanged pleasantries before taking their seats.

Hu Gang added casually, "Chang Tian has a particularly keen sense for the entertainment and mass consumer markets. He played a major role in the success of 'Beijing Express.' The station values ​​his abilities, which is why they put him in charge of planning the new program 'It's You,' hoping to replicate that success."

Soon, Manager Zhao from Purple House arrived, followed by another round of warm greetings and introductions.

With the food and drinks served, the conversation naturally turned to "It Was You All Along".

Wang Changtian was clearly very interested in the program format proposed by Wang Sheng: "Mr. Wang, to be honest, during the production of 'Beijing Express,' I found that the types of television programs in China are too limited, especially the light and fun entertainment programs aimed at young people, which are almost non-existent."

Your idea for "It's You"—the male and female guests choosing each other, the power reversal, and the "lights out, lights stay on" segment—creates strong dramatic conflict and high entertainment value. It perfectly aligns with the increasingly open social climate, and I think it has enormous potential!

Wang Sheng: "Planner Wang has a keen eye. The core of this program is authenticity and conflict, showcasing the current views on marriage and love among young people, while also providing a social platform. If handled properly, it can easily spark social discussion and attention."

The two had an in-depth discussion on details such as program format, segment setup, guest selection, and value guidance, and found themselves getting along very well.

Many of the ideas proposed by Wang Changtian are quite forward-thinking.

Wang Sheng felt that the other party must have watched a lot of foreign TV programs.

On the other side, Hu Gang mainly discussed sponsorship matters with Manager Zhao.

"Manager Zhao, as a long-established wedding planning company in Beijing, Purple House is the perfect sponsor for this program. After the program airs, it'll be like advertising for you every day. Your phone lines will be ringing off the hook with inquiries!" Hu Gang skillfully pitched.

Manager Zhao was already interested, but still cautiously asked, "Director Hu, what range would you like to see for the sponsorship fee?" "It's a pilot broadcast, and it's a new program, so the station gave us a discounted price. Exclusive sponsorship, this is the amount per episode." Hu Gang gestured, "Minimum three episodes. If it performs well and moves to prime time, the price will have to be negotiated."

Manager Zhao quickly calculated in his mind, three phases would cost 150,000, not bad: "Okay, Director Hu, we'll take the naming rights for Purple House!"

"Great! Manager Zhao is very agreeable!"

Next, Hu Gang and Wang Sheng discussed the joint sponsorship.

After the meal, the main things were basically settled:
Purple House secured exclusive naming rights for 5 yuan per phase, initially signing a three-phase contract.

Shengying Media's sub-brand "Image Memory" became a joint sponsor at a price of 2 yuan per episode and provided a near-cinematic wedding video worth 6999 yuan as a prize for guests who successfully paired up and got married.

The program was produced by Beijing TV.

As the party ended, Wang Changtian made a point of exchanging contact information with Wang Sheng: "Mr. Wang, I admire your keen sense of the mass entertainment market. I hope we can exchange ideas more often in the future. I will put my heart into the 'It's You' project."

Wang Sheng smiled and said, "I'm really looking forward to the program that Planner Wang will bring."

"..."

After the dinner ended, everyone left the private room.

Hu Gang put his arm around Wang Sheng's shoulder and walked out, asking Wang Sheng if he still wanted that batch of second-hand equipment.

"Director Hu, I will arrange for someone to go and make contact tomorrow."

"it is good."

……

The next day.

5 month 30 day.

Shengying Media held a ceremony to celebrate the graduation of all trainees from the training course.

A total of 107 trainees who graduated from the training course officially joined Shengying Media and signed labor contracts.

Wang Sheng asked Li Tingting to invite Zhou Xiaobin, a reporter from the Beijing Evening News, to come and interview him.

……

evening.

In the lower right corner of the lifestyle section of the Beijing Evening News, a seemingly inconspicuous yet substantial headline quietly appeared: "Children of Beijing Film Studio Achieve Success in Entrepreneurship: 'Shengying Media' Attracts Over 100 Unemployed Youths at Once."

Reporter Zhou Xiaobin's writing is plain and restrained, briefly reporting that Shengying Media Co., Ltd., as a market-oriented pilot project of Beijing Film Studio, successfully solved the employment problem for a group of unemployed children of the studio by further expanding its wedding video recording business.

The article mentions the first batch of 107 trainees who have officially signed contracts and started working after short-term training, highlighting the reform spirit of "not waiting for handouts and relying on others, but making a living on one's own" and the initial fulfillment of corporate social responsibility.

Against the backdrop of the undercurrent of layoffs in 96, this news was like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating ripples in a specific circle of people in Beijing who were concerned about the matter.

Some readers thought it was a positive news story, while others scoffed, believing it was just special treatment given to the children of state-owned enterprise employees who had easy access to resources.

……

However, while readers in Beijing were reacting indifferently to this "minor news," a real media storm was brewing in the far south.

The unique press conference held at Lucheng Library on May 28th, after a day or two of fermentation, writing, submission, and typesetting, finally broke out in major media outlets across Zhejiang Province on the evening of May 31st and the morning of June 1st!

The Qianjiang Evening News published a lengthy feature article on its second page, prominently titled "The Creators of the 'Sky-High Wedding' Came from Beijing and Threw Up the Theory of 'The Rich Showing Off Limited Justice'."

The article details Wang Sheng's remarks at the meeting, quoting his views on how legitimate consumption can drive the economy, foster new industries, and that society should embrace diverse needs. It also includes a photo of Wang Sheng calmly responding to questions at the meeting.

The tone is relatively neutral, but the title is very impactful.

The Lucheng Daily, however, offered a more local perspective: "A 400,000 Yuan Wedding in Lucheng Shocks the Community; Beijing Young Man Admits: Consumption is Also a Contribution."

The report focused on describing the grand wedding scene and Mr. Chen's satisfaction, combining Wang Sheng's theory of "limited justice" with the local business vitality and the mentality of the wealthy in Lucheng, which aroused strong attention and heated discussion among local citizens.

Hangzhou TV's main channel broadcast a five-minute special report during its prime-time evening news program, "News Observation."

The footage not only shows Wang Sheng speaking eloquently, but also includes scenes of a lavish wedding, bustling streets of Lucheng, and random interviews with citizens on the street.

Public opinion is polarized. Some people admire and praise, saying, "If you have the ability, you should enjoy it." Others are indignant and criticize, saying, "The rich are heartless and set a bad example." There are also guests who appear to be scholars who come forward to discuss "consumer ethics under the market economy."

These reports were like bombshells, instantly causing a huge sensation in Zhejiang Province!
"Get rich first," "show off," and "justice"—these words, when combined, precisely strike at the most sensitive and contradictory nerves during the period of social transformation.

(End of this chapter)