America 1982-Chapter 359 - 33: Goodnight, America_5
"The risk is extraordinarily high, Tommy. I know you want to gamble on breaking major news—just like CNN did when they got lucky with the Challenger disaster, adding over three million subscribers in that month alone. With such globally significant news, I believe all it takes is one early scoop to add tens of millions of subscribers worldwide. But the problem is, you can’t guarantee that your news network will always be the first to break the news. How can you know where the next big story will happen?" Benjamin acknowledged Tommy’s strategy but voiced his own concerns.
Any media professional in television understands that breaking a major story first can bring substantial profits. The issue is, no one knows where or when such news will break, no one knows what the next day will bring. You might have your news team focused intently on Moscow, waiting for the coup that seems ever imminent, but what if, while you’re rambling on about Moscow on camera, the President of the United States is suddenly assassinated?
"That’s my second point, taking the initiative," Tommy said, looking at Benjamin:
"I don’t know when the Berlin Wall will fall, or when the Soviet Union will breathe its last, maybe this year, maybe next year, or maybe ten years from now. But I can take the initiative."
"First, like CNN, I’ll hire a few brainwashed youngsters who love the news business and can endure hardship. They don’t have to do anything else, just fly to Germany, station themselves beside the Berlin Wall, and report on it every damned day. I’ll be more generous than CNN—I’ll reimburse their flights, local accommodations, and travel expenses, as long as they ensure that reporters are always ready on the ground to talk to our anchors in the studio at any time of the day about the wall," he stated.
"Secondly, we need to work on public relations. Jim has experience at McKinsey; he should be familiar with this kind of thing. We don’t need to know the exact timing of when the wall will come down, just ensure that East Germany allows our reporters to be stationed there, paying them off or whatever it takes—just make sure it’s an exclusive arrangement. That way, even if other news organizations get a scoop in West Germany, we’ve got another angle covered, guaranteeing us a first release with a unique perspective."
"Thirdly, technical support. I’ve investigated the communication equipment used by reporters from CNN and other renowned international news channels. Their foreign correspondents rely on local phone lines for live connections to their studios. If the phone lines get cut or they’re ordered to be shut down, they can’t broadcast squat. Our reporters, on the other hand, will each be equipped with a portable satellite phone so that even if all local comms are severed, they can still send their reports straight back to the studio."
"Think about it, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany would be massive news and if we’re the first to inform the world, of course, our subscriptions will increase. The inevitable collapse of the Soviet Union, the inevitable Gulf War, it’s all the same—as long as we can guarantee being the first to break news like this two or three times, that’s when other news organizations from various countries will know who to partner with. There are so many Soviet states; if they become independent one after another, that means we have a multitude of major stories to cover," Tommy explained.
Jim licked his lips; Tommy was always this ambitious bastard. You think he’s just trying to control the Black audience with his network, but in reality, he wants so much more: "At the same time as you make a name for yourself with overseas achievements, you’ll be able to exert pressure domestically. If your news network succeeds, the White House press credentials that other stations need to apply for, I bet the White House might just offer them to you."
"Exactly," Tommy nodded without denying.
"Left hand holding a massive audience of lower-class Black Americans, right hand holding global English-speaking mid-to-high-end audiences interested in news—if I were someone with political ambitions, I’d be proud to have the opportunity to help you," Jim said, exhaling deeply.
"A man with money is not scary; what’s terrifying is a man with money who also knows exactly how he wants to spend it. So, when’s your damn news network going live?" he challenged.
"That’s the issue; I need someone to help me deal with the Soviet Union, smooth things over, get permission for our reporters to be stationed over there. Someone who’s well-versed in the local situation, frankly, someone to sort things out with East Germany and the Soviet Union, ensuring our reporting team can be stationed in East Berlin, Moscow, and the various Soviet states. Then we also need genuine Soviet and international affairs experts to advise the news network, help us sift through daily reports from our foreign correspondents for any imminent hotspots we’d want to focus on. Before that happens, Wolfe Tuck will be in charge of setting up the framework of this news network, using lukewarm news to barely attract subscribers, but when the Berlin Wall falls, we make our first broadcast and formally announce our presence to the world," Tommy said, tossing away his cigarette butt and taking a sip of beer as he turned to Jim.
Jim muttered a curse under his breath: "I’ve been to the Soviet Union, and KeyBank has some charitable operations in East Germany, so I’m the best man for the job? Once again, I’ve guessed it right—you want both money and people."
Susan, who had been mostly silent and listening, finally broke her silence after hearing Tommy’s remarks:
"I think, if you need some experts on Soviet issues for consultation, I have the right person in mind. I’m thinking of my colleague at Stanford University, a Political Science Associate Professor. She developed an interest in the Soviet Union back when she was an undergraduate at the University of Denver, and so for years, she’s been conducting research in that area. She’s a wonderful person; when I was at Stanford and started ONE, launching the Piggy Bank project, she gave me a lot of advice. If your reporters can keep sending back all sorts of information from the Soviet Union, I’m sure she and her graduate students would be eager to help, as this would give them firsthand insight into Soviet news," she offered.
