[Chapter 720: That Old Guy is Quite Devious]
Commodore clearly thought too much about things. If the Big Blue really fell, Washington would certainly get anxious.
The truth was, IBM was still making a good profit. Despite the decline of mainframes, their technical support department alone brought in nearly two billion dollars.
From personal PCs to the latest ThinkPad laptops, the quality of the Big Blue was still second to none.
In fact, Filson hoped for IBM's collapse. If that day ever came, his own boss would surely make a move. The reason was simple; he had little regard for their stock yet constantly used IBM computers.
Before the ThinkPad hit the market, his boss never used a laptop, but once the Big Blue came out, he immediately ordered a batch. All of the company's higher-ups had started using these computers.
This strong preference yet refusal to buy their stocks could only indicate one thing: the boss didn't like the current management team but had high hopes for their technology and production departments. If such a company entered bankruptcy protection, it would be a surprise if the boss didn't intervene.
...
"Congratulations, Mr. Redstone, Paramount now belongs to you," said an old man with sunspots on his face. Summer Redstone felt frustrated. What could have been an acquisition for 8 billion ended up costing nearly 9 billion dollars.
With a spendthrift like this, life was becoming unbearable. He thought, these funds had to be conserved, and that damn William White was going to pay.
Truth be told, that old guy should be grateful. If it weren't for avoiding suspicion, William White even planned to support his wife with some legal advice.
Honestly, that woman had suffered greatly; if she divorced Summer Redstone now, she would maximize her benefits. To outlast this old fellow? Well, she just had to wait.
...
"He scheduled meetings with Spielberg and Cameron? Not to mention George Lucas. Heh, that old guy has quite the eye for talent."
"Master, that old guy is very cunning; he's aiming to compete right from the start, and his confidence is anything but ordinary."
"Tanner, that's natural. Anyone in the theater business knows content is king; otherwise, he'd have been in the doghouse long ago. But it's not so simple; Lucas has money to burn and may not care about him. As for Spielberg, he's basically a newcomer; if you don't have a solid script, he won't play along. Haha, Tanner, that old guy is just showing off. He's spent a billion extra, his liver must be trembling."
"No wonder he didn't take over immediately but sought out those big directors. Master, if you retaliated against him now, it might not go over well."
"Heh, that old bastard figures I won't do a thing. Ah, a seventy-year-old still that resilient. Tanner, I can't do that. Let him show off for now."
Outwardly calm, he still felt discontent. This was a loss without apparent recompense, much like that old bastard.
...
If Summer Redstone knew what this fellow was thinking, he would undoubtedly pounce to take him down. This meeting was largely a formality. After all, William White had cost him billions.
If he had made a profit, the old guy wouldn't have a complaint. For the sake of benefit, no one should dwell on unrelated matters. The problem was, he hadn't profited; it was nothing but deliberate pitfalls from start to finish.
...
Meanwhile, a group of Hollywood moguls were quite disappointed. They had set out their little stools, hoping to watch the two parties go at it. For crying out loud, what did it mean not to hear anything? Didn't William White return to Los Angeles? How could he have no reaction at all?
William White loved to watch the monkey business but didn't have the mindset to be a monkey himself. What he could get away with at twenty was no longer possible. The so-called higher-ups shouldn't be at the forefront.
In reality, that old guy should have been talking with Time Warner. If the two formed an alliance, then William White would have a real headache.
What? Murdoch?
William White had never worried about Fox. The two old guys were equally rigid and ruthless. However, their attitudes toward money differed significantly.
Though both were stingy, when it came to film investment, Summer Redstone was willing to throw money around; he was just tough on family and employees.
Murdoch was different; his focus was on print media and news. You could tell from the company's name; he was crystal clear with "News Corporation."
...
Summer Redstone didn't realize that William White actually welcomed his entry. With NBC and White Media so massive, Washington couldn't be at ease without some decent competition.
Goodness, if you played tricks during the midterm elections, you would do the same in the general election. If things went south, where would you go to settle it?
The internal conflicts among the Donkeys arose precisely from this issue. William White wasn't an Elephant, clearly a contender they could win over. He and the Bush family were quite close, yet he didn't make a move in the election, did he?
From that, you could see which of the two families would become the top dog. William White truly didn't care. Now, what's to be done about the midterm elections? Bill, could you pull together some opinions?
"Tom, is this the latest Compaq computer?" Seeing that hefty fellow pushing a trolley, William White couldn't help but laugh. Good grief, he almost looked like the vehicle.
"Yes, sir, this is their high-end model. They've eliminated the 5.25-inch floppy drive for a CD-ROM drive and added a 3D accelerator card."
"Not bad, not bad, let's set it up. By the way, have you tested digital video?"
"Yes, but the clarity isn't great; it barely works at one-quarter screen, and full-screen is just too grainy."
"Hmm, Bell Labs is working hard; within three months, they should have something ready."
"Sir, is MPEG foolish? If it's two standards, they might not win."
"Two? More like at least three. I've heard that Sony is also developing related standards. Philips even fell through with us. They will either join MPEG or go solo."
"With things going this way, it looks like there won't be a unified standard."
William White looked at Tom with a grin, appearing somewhat dismissive.
"Sir, am I wrong?"
"Heh, you're right, but that's not the point. Tom, we're free, and that's not even the most crucial part. We're still an open system. All members have the same rights. Think about it; Sony knows this standard is vital, and Philips believes it's significant. As a content provider, why would you think Hollywood giants don't care about this standard? Consider how Sony's VCR lost to Panasonic. Do you think Sony's technology isn't superior?"
"Yeah, sir, the strangest part is right there. Sony's clarity excels, so why did they lose?"
"Simple. Content providers didn't want excessively clear images. If all the audience watch recordings at home; do I still have audiences in my theater? For content providers, the best viewing experience should be in theaters, then television broadcasts, and lastly, tapes. If there were a viewing experience that disappeared after once, they'd surely be delighted."
"I get it. Hollywood giants would likely resist digital video; at least they won't support it."
"Exactly, but it's too late. There is already VCD format using the MPEG1 format. It's said to be akin to the experience of a VCR, but let's wait; I've already dispatched someone to China to procure it."
Tom looked incredulous. Surely, they couldn't have made a mistake; how could something like this be developed by China?
"Well, sir, they probably won't pay you royalties." William White felt like cursing. Could they even have a pleasant chat after this?
*****
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