Heads Up Hollywood

Who is Barry Diller?

Eighties Hollywood Juggernaut!

Why is Michael Eisner domineering and dictatorial at Disney? It's because he and Jeffrey Katzenberg were both Barry Diller's henchmen back then, and they all learned what Barry Diller did.

After News Corporation acquired Twentieth Century Fox, Murdoch had no choice but to start his own TV network because the traditional three major public TV networks, CBS, NBC and ABC, were not open to foreigners. Diller, who built the Fox network.

How difficult is this task?

At that time, the three major public TV networks in the United States, CBS, NBC, and ABC, divided up the market, and each had a market share of more than 30%, which was equivalent to the monopoly of three oligarchy!

It is difficult for Hollywood independent film companies to break the monopoly of the six giants, and it is undoubtedly even more difficult to break the monopoly of the public television field, which is more resource-intensive.

However, Barry Diller led the Fox TV network. Faced with the suppression of the three major powerhouses, he tenaciously opened up a living space in this field, grabbed 15% of the market share, and became the fourth largest public in the United States today. television network.

As a result, the market shares of today's public television networks, except Viacom's CBS, NBC and ABC, have all dropped to about 25%.

However, such a Hollywood legend who proposed a "high-concept" film theory in the field of film and created the Fox Network in the field of television has hit a wall with two tycoons successively.

First, Rupert Murdoch.

Barry Diller took the lead of the dragon and demanded more control and equity of the Fox TV network, with a strong attitude. The result was unexpected. Murdoch's methods were more severe and merciless. He directly bought out the contract, repurchased the shares, and kicked him out.

There is no doubt that the media tycoon's domineering power is on display!

The second place is Summer Redstone!

Before that, Barry Diller and Redstone were still friends and had frequent contacts until they both fell in love with Paramount, the most outstanding film company in Hollywood at the time.

Paramount's price was too high, and it was impossible to buy it with its own funds.

Redstone adopted a leveraged acquisition that was very common in the capital market at that time;

Barry Diller's method is to win over Wall Street's private equity funds, holding acquisitions. And in the 1980s, it was he who led Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg, two younger brothers, in a troika attitude, led Paramount to the peak and became the best in Hollywood.

So in terms of management support, Barry Diller has an absolute advantage.

Everyone thought that this would be a big show!

Unexpectedly, the result was completely one-sided!

However, Redstone's connections and influence have played a huge role, and behind the scenes, the Wall Street funds that helped Barry Diller complete the acquisition chose to withdraw at a critical moment.

As you can imagine, Redstone became the sole bidder for Paramount.

However, Paramount management did not support Redstone, so that he replaced a large number of executives after completing the acquisition. The current chairman of Paramount, Ms. Shirley Lansing, was appointed by Redstone in that critical situation, and took orders in a critical situation.

Lei Shidong's courage and fierceness are vividly displayed in this acquisition case.

This is not over yet, because of competition, Paramount's stock price soared, so that Redstone spent an extra $3 billion to win Paramount Pictures at a sky-high price of $10 billion.

Lei Shidong was furious, and of course he couldn't stop.

As a result, it is conceivable that Barry Diller directly lost the possibility of re-employment in Hollywood.

I couldn't stay in California, I couldn't stay in New York, so I had to go to Denver and join TV tycoon John Malone.

Now, John Malone has withdrawn from the field of cable TV, and Barry Diller can only be employed again. It is said that he has raised a sum of money from John Malone. In this era of the bursting of the Internet bubble, he played e-commerce.

Completely bid farewell to the media industry.

The bloody example is right in front of you. Barry Diller, a legend who created the Hollywood commercial film model and created the Fox TV network, all ended in disgrace.

Tang En didn't dare to offend Lei Shidong rashly.

If the bayonet saw the red and fought recklessly, he might really have to pack his bags and go to Silicon Valley to rely on Netflix to turn himself around.

Tang En took a deep breath, the lines on his face were very stiff, "Mr. Lei Shidong, I handed over the broadcast rights of "American Idol" to CBS, instead of FOX and ABC, which are more popular among young people; Ramon and Legendary Films' platter investment cooperation; I let the "Fantastic Four" with an investment of 30 million US dollars be licensed to..."

Before he finished speaking, Lei Shidong interrupted him, pretending to be at a loss, "Huh? Why did you say this? I said "Under Six Feet", did you hear it wrong?"

Tang En gritted his silver teeth, his face ashen.

Penelope Cruz, Rose Byrne, and Abbie Cornish, who were helping him change his clothes, were all so frightened that they didn't dare to breathe, and stood stupidly.

Obviously, Dunn Walker, who was omnipotent in their impression in the past, encountered big trouble this time!

Is it big trouble?

Maybe, maybe not.

In the blink of an eye, Tang En could already see clearly.

In fact, it is very simple. Lei Shidong only needs to play "Six Feet Under" on Showtime once.

The rise of the STA TV network is due to the promotion of a series of high-quality content in the past few months, as well as the powerful effect of "Band of Brothers".

SHO wants to replay "Six Feet Under" once and turn over, which is simply impossible.

The core of the problem is not copyright, but subservience.

Ultimately, it's a matter of attitude.

Redstone controls Viacom's 100-billion-dollar empire, and he doesn't pay attention to such small things at all. What he cares about is his dignity as a business leader!

Tang En paralyzed Lei Shidong through a series of small tricks, and then quickly let STA grow up. Seeing that he has the momentum to crush SHO, this is a provocation!

How could Lei Shidong allow a young man like Tang En to step on top of his head?

Besides, why did Twain have such a huge reputation in Hollywood?

Outside, it relies on the continuous hit commercial blockbusters and the inspirational legend of the "American Dream"; inside, it relies on "platter investment" and ruthless trampling on Disney Chairman Michael Eisner.

Lei Shidong will never allow similar phenomena to happen to him!

If the news spreads that Tang En defeated Lei Shidong, stepped on Lei Shidong's head, and caused the STA TV network to rise suddenly, will his old face still be lost?

So the cause and effect of this matter are very simple - Lei Shidong wants Tang En to admit his mistake, compromise, and give in!

"Six Feet Under" is just one way of expressing this attitude.

Wanting Tang En to say "I'm sorry", this is completely a fantasy, this is to lead to a war, Lei Shidong is very shrewd, he sees it very clearly. What he wants is face, not struggle.

Letting Starz TV's popular drama series "Six Feet Under" air on Showtime TV for one round is enough for industry insiders to see the situation clearly: Summer Redstone and Michael Eisner are different!

What Eisner can't do, Redstone can!

Tang En was silent for another ten seconds, and suddenly laughed out loud, the muscles on his face relaxed immediately, as if he was talking to a close friend, "So it's "Six Feet Under", haha, look at me, I heard it wrong just now!"

"Oh?" Lei Shidong paused, with a deep smile, "So... is it okay?"

"Of course no problem!" Tang En's attitude changed a 180-degree turn from just now, and his voice was full of enthusiasm, "When will Showtime be broadcast? I will arrange it right away."

"Right now, Starz TV has just finished the first round, so we can take advantage of the popularity." Now that Lei Shidong has spoken, of course he will not be polite, and wants to benefit his own industry as much as possible.

"No problem, the copyright can be handed over tomorrow!"

Tang En readily agreed.

Anyway, it's not an exclusive second-round broadcast right. Including Starz TV station, at least 50 small second- and third-tier TV stations across the country will broadcast it one after another.

Lei Shidong was very satisfied with Tang En's attitude, "In terms of price..."

"Price? Mr. Lei Shidong, you are too polite!" Tang En smiled proudly, "You are a senior and an idol I have always admired. If you speak back in person, how can you charge for it? Free authorization!"

Lei Shidong laughed heartily, and he could feel his radiance through the phone.

"Okay then, it's settled. Also, I heard that the matter of platter investment has not been resolved yet?"

"Well, I'll send a fax to Legendary Pictures right away to urge you."

"Um."

Lei Shidong nodded slightly, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Tang En's arrogance made him feel a kind of strength.

It's as if he had a surge of energy in his chest that was about to explode after he narrowly escaped the fire on Warner's studio.

This young man is amazing!

Of course, he has enough self-confidence, so he doesn't believe that a young hairy boy will shake his position.

...

After hanging up the phone, the smile on Tang En's face instantly froze, and his expression became extremely gloomy, cold, and sullen!

STA TV network is about to rise, this is a general trend and it is irreversible.

As the popularity of summer blockbusters fades away, "Band of Brothers" has become the most watched film and television content in North America right now.

The astronomical copyright fee of 80 million US dollars has made the audience full of expectations for this hugely invested war film.

Tang En thought he would be under pressure from Time Warner and HBO, but he didn't expect that it was Lei Shidong who was the first to strike.

This old thing!

In the past, Tang En always stepped on other people's faces, and his scenery was infinite.

This time... was actually stepped on by Lei Shidong!

How could Tang En, who had almost never encountered setbacks since his rebirth, endure it?

Sitting on the two auras of foresight and sunglasses system, can't deal with Lei Shidong?

hum!

Tang En secretly became ruthless, and said coldly: "It's not too late for a gentleman to take revenge, Mr. Lei Shidong... Let's wait and see!"