[Chapter 550: Adding Insult to Injury]
William White knew that being a leader required a certain demeanor, and in this regard, America really fell short. Kuwait needed him now, but of course, they couldn't say a word. If they thought everyone was clueless, they was seriously underestimating others' intelligence.
As a subordinate, Saddam needed to show awareness of his place, but he was utterly failing at it. In a country as tiny as his, how could he have more tanks than America? "Hey, buddy, just curious, who exactly is your target?"
America was nervous, and so were Iraq's neighbors. If these other guys didn't want to take him down, that would truly be strange.
...
"Sir, Murdoch's loan ratio has become incredibly exaggerated. I believe the risks are unmanageable."
"Ugh, can't he just chill for two days? Is he at it again with the networks?"
"Yes, his expansion speed is quick. Though, it's unfortunate for him that NBC is expanding too. It's hard to say anything about movies since they're not all under one roof. But for TV shows and variety programs, it's clear NBC is targeting Fox."
"Damn it, those two are really something. After all these years, do you get why William White wants to go after Murdoch?"
"Don't know. Rupert is just some old guy; it's not like he could've stolen his wife."
"You go talk to him. The recent economic situation isn't looking good. If William White decides to make a move now, there's not much we can do. Besides, we're not in a position to help."
Everyone knew that NBC had two excellent variety shows. Their talk shows and news segments were also very strong. Over the years, no matter how tough the competition was, their viewership ratings remained high.
If we were to make a comparison, NBC held half of the media landscape in America. The scariest part was that its international influence was equally immense.
Since they opened up channels in French and Latin, it wasn't just Europe; across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the best TV station was this one.
It wasn't surprising that Murdoch set his sights on NBC. In fact, NBC was the target for all broadcasting networks. But the hostility between them was uniquely intense.
In this situation, many people began to feel powerless.
Someone asked, "What about antitrust laws? That's quite a weapon, isn't it? If not now, when?"
It sounded simple, but it was much harder to execute. This was a company with a separation of production and broadcasting; even the satellite transmission business didn't belong to NBC.
While separation of production and broadcasting might just be talk in other places, that wasn't the case for NBC. Whether it was a variety show or a series, they were willing to auction it off.
The highest bidder takes it, and there was no room for negotiation. Barry Diller almost walked away over this matter.
Of course, Fox had no chance whatsoever. If they participated, they would get targeted, and that was non-negotiable.
...
"Barry, these two variety shows were specifically aimed at taking down Fox."
"Mr. White, Hell's Kitchen is quite interesting; I'm not worried about that. As for Survivor, I'm afraid it won't stand up against their talk shows."
"Ha! No problem, this thing is interesting and inspiring; you gotta ramp up the promo. Look, I'll put it this way: that Australian jerk has financial issues. If his ratings drop, no bank will want to lend him a dime."
"Is that so? Should I reach out to others?"
"Barry, I think other networks have been in the game long enough with us that they're likely fed up. Our ratings are about as good as they're gonna get; we can't expect a big jump. If Fox goes under, those other networks' valuations will definitely go up."
"I got it. I'm thinking of organizing a game at Lanai Island."
"Yeah, you set that up; keep it private."
William White knew these next two years were crucial. If he didn't deal a heavy blow to News Corp in that time, he wouldn't have another good opportunity.
An old saying goes about taking the opportunity to strike when someone is down. Even if he couldn't take that old man down, it was likely that he wouldn't get another chance.
...
In fact, News Corp nowadays couldn't hold a candle to its historical position. That guy almost sank back then; this time, he might really be facing serious trouble.
Murdoch was furious; he couldn't fathom why the two networks, which usually had decent relations, were now aiming at him.
"These bastards! Don't they understand that once William White is done with me, he'll definitely turn on them too?"
"Old buddy, can you tell me if you have a grudge against William White?"
"Ha! This question isn't just coming from you; my son and my colleagues are asking me too. Honestly, I have no idea."
"Look, we've got a lot of money tied up in a bad situation. Not just us at Morgan, but Citibank and Rockefeller are in the same boat. That bastard made off again this time. We can't hold onto as much cash as he can."
"What do you mean, old buddy? Is there a likelihood of a hostile takeover? That shouldn't be a possibility; the Justice Department wouldn't approve that deal."
"Honestly, I think it all goes back to those antitrust issues. Your media group has really had it out for him."
"Just over a petty issue? He can't be that irrational, right?"
Murdoch felt just as confused; he had been feeling confused for years. His tabloids weren't even willing to badmouth that guy anymore.
The notion of revenge just wasn't enough to describe his pettiness. Murdoch couldn't understand why William White, who was also in the media game, could be so stingy.
...
William White actually admired this guy's shamelessness. Who was being stingy? This guy was not only a public figure but also mingled in showbiz. Furthermore, he was doing well enough in cultural circles too.
All of this stemmed from his public image. If you want to call me arrogant, fine. If you want to say I'm dashing, I can live with that. But when you start talking about my private life, well, that's just crossing the line.
Does it matter to you whether my kid is a love child?
Typically, media moguls avoided publicly attacking one another. If I accused you of having a love child, you could just as easily say my kid looks like the neighbor's dog. Such self-destructive behavior was something few indulged in.
Besides, the folks under News Corp were known for being sensationalists. Over such trivial matters, the two had been involved in hundreds of lawsuits.
If William White knew that the issues he was so outraged about were nothing but trivialities to that bastard, he'd probably explode from anger.
Damn it, what if he's old? Being old shouldn't give him the freedom to act however he pleases. This time, just this time, I've got to make him pay.
William White had made up his mind; once that guy's stock dropped, he'd come down hard. Once he broke through that support level, the old man would definitely be in big trouble.
If Morgan dared to intervene this time, he wouldn't mind making a move against them too. Even if the guy couldn't do anything about it, he'd still want to spite him.
*****
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