Hong Kong variety show: The mastermind behind the scenes is emerging.

81 Broadcast Drive, Kowloon, headquarters of Asia Television.

The blinds in the chairman's office were drawn back, letting the warm spring sunlight stream onto the large mahogany desk. Lu Chen held a cup of freshly brewed Da Hong Pao tea, his gaze sweeping over the two people standing in front of the desk.

General Manager Huang Xizhao, and Production Department Director Li Zhaoxiong.

These two veterans, who had spent decades in the Hong Kong television industry, both wore expressions of barely concealed excitement and exhaustion. It was the kind of exhilaration one feels when, after two months of continuous overtime, they were about to see the results.

"Boss, good news." Huang Xizhao placed a thick progress report in front of Lu Chen, his voice brimming with confidence. "The first twenty episodes of 'Chinese Paladin' are finished, and the last fifteen episodes are in post-production special effects and editing. 'Balala the Fairies' and 'Armor Hero' are also progressing quickly. The main problem was the production of the costumes and props in the early stages; both series have currently filmed about thirty episodes each."

At this point, Huang Xizhao couldn't help but rub his hands together, his eyes gleaming with confidence: "Boss, with these three dramas in hand, I'm confident we can definitely turn around ATV's decline this time!"

As a veteran television professional, Huang Xizhao is well aware of the quality of these three dramas.

Because each of the scripts personally presented by Lu Chen brought a fresh perspective that transcended the times.

Take "Chinese Paladin" for example. Lu Chen not only spent a sky-high production cost of three million Hong Kong dollars—which was even higher than the investment of many movies at that time—but also rejected the traditional studio set design and insisted on shooting entirely on location.

To recreate the "Fairy Island" from the script, the production team even rented a small island on Lantau Island for renovation. Coupled with the special effects team assembled by ATV at great expense, while the technology couldn't yet produce the dazzling effects of later generations, it was already on par with the level of Star Wars in the US. To Hong Kong audiences in 1982, this was absolutely a miracle!

"How's the quality control?" Lu Chen asked. After all, if only the special effects and the script are subpar, it will become like Tsui Hark's "The Legend of Zu" from his previous life, which was critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful.

"Absolutely top-notch!" Li Zhaoxiong added from the side. "I strictly controlled all the scripts, and the first three episodes have been internally tested, with excellent feedback. I bet you, once this show airs, all the young men and women in Hong Kong will go crazy for it!"

"Very good, quality is the lifeline," Lu Chen had great faith in Huang Xizhao and Li Zhaoxiong's abilities, as well as the magic of the Legend of Sword and Fairy storyline. "But Lao Huang, you have to remember, the audience has a huge appetite. After watching these few installments, their appetite will be whetted. If the later episodes don't keep up, they'll be cursing."

"Don't worry, boss!" Huang Xizhao quickly said, "The outlines for 'The Land's Grace' and 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' that you gave us have been expanded by the scriptwriting team and can start filming at any time. Although these two dramas are not as fantastical as 'Chinese Paladin,' they have solid plots, and we will also do our best in costumes, props, and sets. They will definitely be able to retain that group of viewers."

"But boss..." Huang Xizhao suddenly hesitated, a greedy smile appearing on his face, "What do you think we'll do after these three dramas are finished? Do you have any other good ideas? Could you write a few more scripts for us?"

After seeing the business plans Lu Chen presented, Huang Xizhao was utterly impressed by the young boss's talent. This wasn't just a tycoon; he was practically a literary genius descended to earth!

"Are you trying to kill me with work?" Lu Chen chuckled and pointed to his head. "I do have some good scripts left, I'll give you a couple more later. But Lao Huang, you have to remember, a TV station can't rely on just me. You need to recruit more good screenwriters. A good script is the soul of a good film or television production. You can't just be contractors, you need to cultivate your own creative team."

"Yes, the boss is right," Huang Xizhao nodded quickly.

Lu Chen hesitated for a moment, then continued, "Have the broadcast times for 'Armor Hero' and 'Little Fairy' been set?"

"It's settled."

Huang Xizhao replied, "As you instructed, these two dramas will air every other day, ensuring one episode every day. The time is set for 5 PM to 6 PM."

"From five to six o'clock..." Lu Chen thought for a moment, "that's exactly the time when all primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong let out of school."

A wicked smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

One can imagine the bustling scene that will unfold on the streets every time the school bell rings starting next week.

Those elementary school students with their backpacks would run faster than rabbits to get home and watch the Flame Dragon Warrior transform or the Little Fairy cast her spells. And what followed was a frenzy of sales for the transformation belts and magic wands produced by Jiahe Toy Factory.

This is the real "using TV dramas to drive sales".

"By the way, what about the TV shopping section?" Lu Chen asked again.

This is his most valued trump card, and also ATV's key to future recovery.

"We've already found the hosts," Huang Xizhao reported. "We've selected six newcomers from the University of Hong Kong's broadcasting and performing arts programs, three men and three women. As per your requirements, they need to be 'exceptionally passionate,' 'exceptionally persuasive'... oh no, exceptionally charismatic."

"I've personally interviewed them, and they're practicing their 'only 998' sales pitch in front of the mirror every day. They're incredibly excited."

"Very good," Lu Chen nodded. "Those housewives have nothing to do, so let's give them something to do. Tell the purchasing department that the products they choose must be down-to-earth, cheaper than physical stores, and of high quality. We need to use word of mouth to completely dominate this market."

"clear!"

"So, the new program schedule is ready to be implemented?" Lu Chen asked.

"Yes, boss."

Huang Xizhao took a deep breath, his tone becoming serious. "The current prime-time drama series will be airing its finale in three days. I'm preparing... a complete revamp in three days, this Saturday!"

"Okay!" Lu Chen agreed with Huang Xizhao's decision. "Three days from now is Friday, which is also payday. Everyone will have money and free time, so it's a good day."

Lu Chen stood up, walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, and looked at the TVB building across the street.

"Uncle Shao, your good days are over."

……

the next day.

A bombshell has been dropped among the media and the public in Hong Kong Island.

Oriental Daily News, Sing Tao Daily, Ming Pao... almost all mainstream newspapers published a full-page GG on their front page.

That's ATV's brand new program schedule.

"Oh my god! Am I seeing things?"

In a tea restaurant, an office worker eating breakfast, holding a newspaper, nearly spat out his milk tea in surprise. "ATV...ATV is going to broadcast 24/7?!"

"What do you mean 24/7?" The guy next to me asked.

"Look! It broadcasts from 7 a.m. to midnight! A full 17 hours!" The office worker pointed to the timetable in the newspaper, looking incredulous.

It's important to know that at that time, Hong Kong's television stations only broadcast for six hours a day, and the rest of the time they were on hiatus. These were the rectangular patterns with many colors inside a circle that we often saw when we turned on the TV as children.

But this time, ATV has creatively announced a broadcast time of seventeen hours. Do they even have that many programs?

[Asia Television's Newly Revamped Program Schedule (Trial Run)]

07:00 - 08:30 Morning News: Stay informed about world events and start your day right.

08:30 - 09:30 "Qiang Qiang San Ren Xing" / "Happy Camp": Laughing and talking about current events, entertainment for all.

09:30 - 10:30 ATV Home Shopping (Morning Session): Selected Good Products, Limited-Time Special Offers.

10:30 - 11:30 "Everyday Cooking": Learn how to cook delicious dishes and win your husband's heart through his stomach.

11:30 - 12:00 "Oriental New Entertainment": First-hand celebrity gossip and exclusive scoops.

12:00 - 13:00 "Legal Report": Real cases reenacted, legal and humanistic debates.

13:00 - 15:00 "Revisiting the Classics": Screening of old movies.

15:00 - 17:00 ATV Home Shopping (Midday Session): Home Special - Buy Now and Save!

17:00 - 18:00 "Armor Hero" / "Balala the Fairies": A dreamland for children.

18:00 - 18:30 Focus Interview: In-depth investigation, daring to speak the truth.

18:30 - 19:00 "Political and Economic Commentary": Experts interpret the secrets to wealth.

19:00 - 20:30 [Prime Time] Chinese Paladin: Two episodes back-to-back, a beautifully crafted fantasy epic!

20:30 - 24:00 ATV Home Shopping (Night Session): Late-night perks and surprises galore.

This program list is like a depth charge, leaving the entire Hong Kong Island completely bewildered.

There's news, entertainment, legal information, children's content, variety shows, and even that intriguing "home shopping" section. Especially the "Chinese Paladin" poster—the image of Li Xiaoyao flying on a sword and the ethereal Zhao Ling'er is captivating at first glance.

"That's quite a generous gesture..."

At the headquarters of TVB, Uncle Siu looked at the newspaper in his hand, his brows furrowed: "What exactly is Lu Chen trying to do? With such a dense schedule of programming, can he afford to burn through all that money?"

But regardless of what Run Run Shaw thought, the public's expectations had been thoroughly aroused.

Wireless's biggest rival is coming soon.