Chapter 1295: Chapter 1294: Vanguard
When the rewards and risks are disproportionate, most people choose to back down.
This might be called cowardice, but this kind of cowardly behavior is not subject to criticism.
Refusing to sign and directly offending someone as influential as Mr. Lynch is a risk that the current head of the station simply cannot bear.
With just one word from the other party, or even just a glance, he could be kicked out of the position he labored over for half his life.
He might lose even more.
Sometimes those who grovel to Mr. Lynch, those willing to dirty their hands, not only harm some people to gain favor but might go to extremes.
Those people could also be small players; their ability to resist risks is equally weak. So why not solve problems thoroughly while there is a way rather than letting them slowly grow?
Does refusing to sign bring any benefits compared to such high risk?
It might only provide brief psychological satisfaction, which will soon be devoured by fear.
Infinite risk, minimal reward...
The head of the station pulled out his pen and signed his name on the resignation letter.
He pretended everything was handled publicly, "You have fifteen minutes to gather your personal belongings and leave the station. If you exceed this time, we might call security.
Facing the head of the station who chickened out but still tried to maintain a little dignity, Momo sneered.
She took one last look at the head, then turned and left.
Her heart was filled with unprecedented satisfaction; this is the sweetness of power!
From the moment she stepped out of the office, many looked at her with changed expressions.
People might not know exactly what happened, but they knew this time, Momo won.
The news of a famous host leaving the station quickly reached the board’s ears, and the head was called in.
For a famous host, stations generally prefer to keep them rather than easily letting them go.
This would cause many issues for the station, but the head went ahead anyway.
When the shareholders learned about this and Lynch’s involvement, everyone remained silent.
They couldn’t afford to provoke him, so what else could they do?
After leaving, Momo soon started contacting colleagues or friends she had good relations with. Lynch’s requirement was to first set up the publishing house and issue newspapers and magazines while perfecting the television station’s structure.
Compared to registering a publisher with the Social Services Bureau, a simple process, building a television station was much harder.
The first problem was the licensing issue.
The Federation is a free country that advocates freedom, which sometimes makes it hard to manage.
For example, during radio station interviews, all channels were occupied by private stations, with people frantically creating stations to spread their voices.
Official communications were thus blocked, leading to passing radio-related laws that restricted civilian station frequency bands, resolving part of the issue.
Television stations face similar issues.
Since the Federation passed antitrust-related laws, monopoly became a taboo, and no institution wants to be associated with it.
While many trusts still conduct monopolistic businesses, the populace is unaware, ignorant, and unable to discover.
Issues like electricity provision initially had power companies and grids integrated, with companies setting up grids then selling electricity to customers.
After antitrust laws, power companies were split into "power companies" and "grid companies."
Later, entities like TV stations were born similarly; simply put, stations cannot bind with signal networks or have exclusivity, or else it’s a low-level monopoly subject to fines.
To simplify, TV stations are TV stations, and communication networks are communication networks.
Ever since the birth of human civilization, the erotic industry has been a profitable one, some small organizations use such a separation mechanism to send their information into signal networks.
Regulations were enacted to standardize TV program content, preventing harm to minors, so TV stations faced restrictions.
Only licensed organizations could send signals into communication networks, and obtaining a license is not easy.
From application to obtaining the license, the process takes about half a year.
Meanwhile, they could first set up the publishing house.
In this society, with money, anything is easily achievable!
With the lawyer’s help, several companies quickly formed, Lynch wholly owning forty percent, ten percent as incentives, and selling the remaining fifty percent to Future Light Investment Company.
As for how much it sold for, that’s a commercial secret.
With simple yet effective means, Momo saw Lynch’s methods, or rather, advanced capital operations.
Using one dollar to achieve ten dollars, or even a hundred-dollar worth of tasks, that is capital!
Its purpose is forever singular and extremely pure, namely more wealth!
"I’ve recruited some people; newspapers can purchase news from companies that specialize in selling them, but magazines..." Momo hesitated.
"My inaugural cover definitely needs a heavyweight figure to entice readers to buy a magazine they haven’t seen before."
"I’m having a hard time with the choice of people," she said candidly, looking at Lynch, expressing her helplessness in this matter.
It’s not easy getting powerful figures on magazine covers; look at the Federation’s big figures: President, Mr. Truman, Mr. Jeruno, Mr. Pato, Mr. Wardrick...
Have any of these been on magazine covers?
Maybe, like when the President was still a politician or just inaugurated, but after that, not anymore.
Other big figures are similar, like Mr. Jeruno; ninety-nine percent of people in the Federation don’t even know such a person exists!
The higher you go in society, the more secretive it becomes.
You cannot rely solely on invitations for big figures to be on magazine covers; you must use relationships.
Momo might be able to invite some celebrities desperately wanting to increase their fame and societal status.
These celebrities aren’t bad, but their level is still too low compared to those big figures; she has no means at all.
Lynch found it odd, "Why not just invite me instead?"
"You think I’m not famous enough?"
Momo froze for a moment, then quickly realized.
Since this is Lynch’s enterprise, isn’t inviting him as the inaugural cover the best choice?
Lynch asked again, "What’s the name of the magazine?"
Momo offered some names; all were fairly commercial, letting people immediately understand the magazine’s content.
Names like "Elite" and "Wealth," some already registered, but that’s not an issue for the wealthy.
These names had limitations; he proposed his suggestions, "Your names are good; I’ll offer mine as well. What do you think of ’Vanguard’?"
"We cannot limit ourselves to one field; we must show that we’re at the forefront of times, and not just focusing on a few industries, but observing the whole world!"
Momo’s initial idea was to emphasize business content in the magazine; Lynch himself being a tycoon, with people’s eagerness for wealth outweighing their desire to explore nature.
In the Federation, non-Golden time slots have the highest ratings for programs teaching people how to become rich!
People’s thirst for wealth surpasses everything.
But Lynch’s perspective was different; a factory worker wouldn’t spend a few bucks on a magazine unrelated to themselves during commuting.
These magazines indeed target the middle class, resembling a success manual titled "How I Succeeded."
The top and bottom tiers don’t need them, as the top ones are already successful, and the bottom ones have no desire or motivation to try achieving success.
The middle class is indeed a vital part of society, but in terms of influence, they fall short.
"Thus, we also need brave reporters and columnists to dissect social events from an alternate angle than the masses."
"Not only should we spread virtues, but also show people the truth, even if the truth is brutal!"
The crew soon arrived at the villa to shoot Lynch’s magazine cover; he would be the main feature of the inaugural issue.
As Lynch’s interviewer was a lady he hadn’t met before.
Momo introduced her to Lynch, showering her with praises.
In this era when print media was still mainstream, columnists and reporters indeed had their reasons for pride.
Some famous reporters, esteemed columnists; one article from them could potentially change a person’s or even a company’s future!
Securing famous reporters was, in itself, a sign of strength.
The interview conducted by the lady was gentle; this is not a verb, but an adjective.
She didn’t display a strong desire to steer, nor subjectively refute the interviewee’s comments, avoiding saying things like "I don’t believe," "I haven’t seen," "How come I don’t know?" etc.
Still, some questions were rather sharp and direct; overall, Lynch was quite satisfied with the interview’s process and content.
Soon news about Lynch and "Vanguard" spread in Bupen; this was practically impossible to hide.
Momo was gathering people everywhere, there was bound to be information leaks.
Three days later, Severa called Lynch...
