Chapter 52: Wasting Hollywood's Resources
[Chapter 52: Wasting Hollywood's Resources]
WND was an independent news website headquartered in Delaware. Initially, it struggled financially, finally turning a profit in 1999, yet the profitability was average, leading shareholders to gradually lose patience.
With Gaskill's financial support, Ian invested $40 million to acquire 95% of the website's shares, becoming the owner of WND.
Once Ian took over WND, the Los Angeles Herald finally had its own internet platform. Unlike traditional news platforms, this one had no time constraints on airing content; as long as the news was sensational, there would be sufficient traffic and advertising revenue. This allowed Ian's news stories to no longer be sold exclusively to CBS; he could keep the impactful stories for his own paper.
As a result, Ian's business officially restructured into Carr Media Group, which now included both the Los Angeles Herald and WND. Thanks to Ian's "betting" agreement, the annual subscriptions for the Los Angeles Herald skyrocketed, reaching 180,000 copies, with a yearly cost of $65 for an individual paper, totaling $11.7 million in revenue. This was just from the newspaper income, not even including advertising revenue.
Ian's blockbuster stories grabbed advertisers' attention, making them realize the potential of the Herald. Advertisements bought based on a circulation of 200,000 could later reflect a circulation of 300,000 -- a clear profit. Plus, Gaskill helped him introduce a wave of clients, thanks to the influence held by bankers, leading to a massive influx of advertisers for the Los Angeles Herald.
This meant the Los Angeles Herald's net profit for the first quarter would be no less than $10 million -- a remarkable figure for a newly established media outlet. For comparison, the Los Angeles Times had a daily circulation of 1.5 million, with an annual revenue of only about $80 million.
Ian Carr managed to achieve 50% profit on a 15% circulation compared to the Times, and all of this was done in under four months. Of course, if his gamble failed, the huge compensation costs could lead Ian to instant bankruptcy.
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After completing the website acquisition, Ian continued his work. Carr Media Group was taking shape, and the next step was to think about fulfilling the betting agreements with clients.
Highlighting annual hot topics depended on media hype. The same news could fail to become a hot topic if only the Los Angeles Herald released it, as the lack of momentum was a major issue. However, with enough influence, even non-hot topics could be turned into spectacles. Many sensational stories had subpar quality, but because the media pushed them aggressively, people had no choice but to focus on those stories when no other hot topics emerged. This meant that headlines could be manufactured!
The pressing task for Ian Carr was not just generating hot news but further expanding the influence and sales volume of the Los Angeles Herald and WND. This required not only impactful news but also a significant improvement in the quality of ordinary news to foster reader trust -- just like no novel website could thrive on just one or two hit novels.
Sensational news broke through ceilings, while a large collection of quality ordinary news raised the bottom line. So next, it was time to put some effort in the Hollywood direction.
...
Hollywood was never short on news... Such news inherently had a base level due to the celebrities involved, meaning that even with underwhelming narratives, there was still sufficient readership to meet baseline expectations. This was a great way to improve standards!
Let's face it, with so many beautiful women in Hollywood, he had only managed to date one...
As the sun set, Ian strolled through the streets of Hollywood.
Every night, hunting for stories had become part of his routine, yet after the Lili Marlene incident, Beverly Hills had clearly tightened security, leaving his usual connections dry. What use was this skill if all he could do was change light bulbs at home?
As for large film companies, they enforced heavy security; the invisible lines for telekinesis only spanned twenty meters, making it tough for Ian to deploy cameras in key locations. He found himself at Century City, gazing up at the twelfth floor.
That was where CAA's headquarters were located.
...
CAA, also known as Creative Artists Agency, was the most influential talent agency in Hollywood at the time, boasting a roster of numerous high-profile celebrities. Its founder, Michael Ovitz, was also a significant figure in Hollywood. Naturally, his choice to become Disney's president marked a notable downturn in his career.
Now, although the company had moved beyond Ovitz's control, it remained lauded as the top talent agency in Hollywood. Ian came here to see if any stories presented themselves. News was always about people. Thus, in a sense, agencies could provide Ian with the kinds of stories he craved more effectively than film companies.
He had been wandering around here frequently, but sadly, he had not found any good opportunities. Standing under a tree, Ian looked up at the building, his gaze piercing through barriers as he scanned each office room. Suddenly, his eyes sharpened with excitement as he thought of something. He quickened his pace into the Century City building, riding the elevator up to the eleventh floor.
Once he reached the window, he pulled out a listening device, allowing the invisible lines to stretch upward.
...
"No, Marti! I will not agree to this!"
Inside one of CAA's offices, Scarlett Johansson shouted angrily.
At just 17 years old, the stunning Scarlett was navigating the peak of her youth. Although she had acted in films like Just Cause, Manny & Lo, and The Horse Whisperer, her fame was still limited. The key issue was her young age, protecting her from the worst aspects of the industry.
So, at that moment, she looked at her agent, Marti Clay, with frustration: "I will absolutely not serve that fat pig Harvey Weinstein!"
Marti replied helplessly, "Scarlett, this audition opportunity is crucial. I'm doing this for your own good! Harvey's got influence in this business. He can turn you into an Oscar-winning actress and open up numerous opportunities for you. You need to understand, in Hollywood, beauty is never in short supply; it's the backing from powerful figures that truly counts!"
Scarlett cried out in despair, "Marti, don't force me! This isn't the life I want."
Marti sighed and embraced the girl in front of her: "I don't want to pressure you, but this is a reality you have to face. Think it through, my little girl. If you come to your senses, just show up at Miramax tomorrow. He'll be waiting for you on that red sofa."
As she shook her head gently, she walked away, recognizing that the ball was now in Scarlett's court.
...
Scarlett walked out of the building. Standing in front of the Century City entrance, she felt lost.
What should she do? Accept the disgusting proposition for the sake of her future? Or stand firm in her principles? The internal conflict gnawed at her heart like a torment.
At that moment, she noticed a red Porsche pulling up beside her. The driver was a handsome young man with blonde hair and charming blue eyes.
He sat in the driver's seat, smiling at her: "Hey, may I give you a ride, Miss Johansson?"
Scarlett stared at him in surprise: "Who are you?"
He smiled, "Don't worry, I'm not a mugger. My name is Ian Carr. I'm guessing you've heard of me."
Scarlett replied in astonishment, "Ian Carr? The guy from the Los Angeles Herald? What are you doing here?"
Ian smiled back, "Just passing by. I've watched your films and admire your performances, so I took a chance to introduce myself. Don't worry; I have no ulterior motives -- I'm just looking for someone to vent a little."
"Venting your frustrations?" Scarlett asked, intrigued.
Ian pointed at the Porsche: "My car; I sold it for $35,000 three months ago. Later, I realized that renting cars was unreliable, so I had someone buy a new one for me. But I never expected that idiot bought back my old car. Can you guess how much? $42,000! In just three months, I lost $7,000 plus two thousand kilometers in mileage. My mood is completely ruined, and I urgently need to complain about this lousy deal... This is the worst business I've ever done!"
As he vented, Ian angrily slammed the steering wheel.
What a disaster!
That stupid Bill, thinking I would have sentimental feelings for an old car!
I don't even have feelings for women I've been with!
Hearing this, Scarlett couldn't help but laugh: "That does sound terrible!"
*****
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