If His Father Hadn't Asked, Eric Would Have Brought It Up Himself
There were no secrets between them.
"Dad, I'm planning to enter the internet market. It's still just a preliminary idea, but once I work it out more, I'll tell you in detail."
His father frowned. "The internet? Now's not the best time. The crisis has only just ended, and it looks like a danger zone. The expansion is too fast; I'm afraid MGM won't have the resources."
"The company has too many needs. We've got loans to repay, the Dualstar Entertainment stock purchase, and we're also in negotiations with DreamWorks."
"If you want to buy stock, I have no objections. Microsoft, Oracle, Google—those are good options. But Yahoo is struggling right now."
Eric shook his head slightly. "Dad, you've misunderstood. I'm not talking about buying stocks, although that might be an option too. But it's not the main point."
"Then what are you planning?"
"I want to create an internet company, develop our own social network and online platform."
His father pondered for a moment before looking at Eric with confusion. "I don't understand what you're talking about. We already have an internet platform—our official website."
For someone over fifty, or rather nearing old age, Charlie Cooper naturally approached new things with hesitation. It's typical for people who live within the framework of their experiences and resist accepting new concepts because they can shatter their established worldview, even threatening the empire they've built.
A good example here is media mogul Murdoch. In a few years, online media will reach new heights, putting traditional print publications at risk. But for Murdoch, whose empire is built on newspapers, letting go of them would be like cutting off his own hand, even if those papers are no longer profitable.
And what was the result? Murdoch eventually had to yield to his sons and executives who insisted on excluding the newspaper business from the company. He left his newspaper empire with a $2.6 billion reserve fund, hoping for its revival.
Other newspaper companies were simply abandoned, and the saddest fate befell Newsweek, which was sold for just $1 due to its massive debts.
Eric knew that to get his father's support, he needed to speak in more tangible terms, explaining internet trends that might be hard for him to grasp. So he decided to approach the issue from a more practical angle.
"Dad, my goal in entering the online space is tied to MGM's growth."
"Especially after working on The Walking Dead, this feeling has only grown stronger. Tell me, why do we produce series and then sell them to TV channels? Why can't we broadcast them ourselves?"
"Because we don't have our own channels. If we don't sell the series to broadcasters, our investment goes to waste. That's what everyone does," his father replied without hesitation.
Over decades, this model had become obvious and logical to him. But for Eric, who came from the future, this model seemed outdated. He continued:
"Why can't we create our own channel?"
His father laughed. "Eric, that's impossible. Do you know how much it costs to create a TV channel? How much money you'd need?"
"Even if we had the funds, we'd have to negotiate with local broadcasters and build our own network."
"Then, you'd face competitors. They wouldn't allow a new player to take their spot. Under pressure from established channels, local stations just wouldn't sign on with us."
Eric nodded. "Yes, I understand. All these channels are backed by major corporations."
"FX is supported by Fox, which is backed by Murdoch, who also has our competitor, 20th Century Fox. AMC is supported by Rainbow Media, which is backed by CVC Group."
"NBC belongs to General Electric. HBO is under Time Warner, which also owns Warner Bros. Starz is backed by Liberty Media. Showtime belongs to Viacom."
"Behind each channel stands a powerful group. We can't compete with them—at least not yet."
"But I don't like it. I don't want our series to generate revenue for our competitors."
"That's why I want to create an online streaming platform where we can show our movies and series. This is the future, and we need to embrace it."
"Dad, in the near future, the internet will become the primary avenue, and this is our opportunity, one we can't afford to miss."
Charlie looked at his son, surprised by his determination. Eric had changed after that balcony accident. He had become a different person, as if he'd gained a new spirit.
Eric suddenly became knowledgeable about filmmaking, directing, and screenwriting. It was all strange.
Of course, Charlie had his doubts, but when he heard Eric call him "Dad," those doubts vanished. Yet even now, he was stunned by his son's ambitions. While the father aimed only to improve MGM, the son was targeting the level of major corporations.
It seemed to him that such thoughts were unrealistic, unachievable.
But seeing his inspired son, he realized it wasn't that Eric was too ambitious—it was that he himself had lost the youthful courage and resolve.
In the end, Charlie Cooper sighed. "Eric, although I don't understand much about the internet, I know one thing: if you really want to create an online platform, we'll face fierce resistance."
"This will threaten the entire existing order in the industry; you're digging at their roots."
"In my heart, I feel like this could be a mistake that might lead MGM to ruin."
"But as your father, I must support you."
"So go ahead and do it. I'll do everything I can to protect you from external storms, for as long as I can."
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