Beverly Hills, Cooper Family.
The young nanny, Lisa, brought Eric a glass of warm milk. She had also been following the recent news and knew that something big had happened at MGM. Eric hadn't been home for several days.
Although he often didn't come home at night or returned very late, this frequent absence was a first.
"He must be working overtime until late every night, and then he can only rest at the company. He's so pitiful. I really want to hold him in my arms and comfort him."
Watching Eric eat quickly, Lisa understood that it was because he had worries on his mind, and even the most delicious food tasted like chewing wax.
Phew.
After breakfast, Eric stretched his back and let out a long breath.
The pressure had been a bit high these past few days, and to relax, he could only relieve it by sleeping with several women each day.
There was no other way; he was a simple and pure person, and his life was monotonous and singular, so he could only choose from these few hobbies.
He was so rich, yet when he thought about it, it was truly sad!
However, even with the nourishment of supplements, his body was starting to give out after several consecutive days, so last night he could only go home to rest.
Youth was truly wonderful. After a night's sleep, all fatigue vanished, and he felt ready for another three hundred rounds.
Arriving at the company, even though it was Sunday, some people were still working due to the special circumstances.
From the moment he walked in, he felt a change in the atmosphere. Everyone's faces were beaming with smiles as before, and the tension that had lasted for half a month had vanished.
Just as Eric had said, what the company needed most right now was a victory.
The explosive popularity of Lionheart Network was like a shot in the arm, injecting new vitality and confidence into MGM.
For over a year, Eric had led them to rise again, and now everyone was even more convinced that following his steps would surely lead to success.
Upon entering the office, Carol had already made coffee.
She wasn't wearing a business suit today, but had changed into a form-fitting, hip-hugging jumpsuit. Her hair wasn't styled up as usual; instead, it was somewhat disheveled and draped over her shoulders, and she had a pair of black glasses on her nose.
He wasn't sure how this outfit was designed; it was hip-hugging at the bottom, but split at the top, making her large breasts very prominent.
Seeing Carol dressed like this, Eric paused. Although there weren't many people on the weekend, this was a company. Was she sure her attire was appropriate?
However, despite his thoughts, he couldn't help but let his gaze linger on her for several seconds.
"She's truly rich and generous, and too eye-catching!"
After exclaiming, Eric said, "Carol, you're smiling very happily. Did something good happen?"
"Yes, Boss, something good, absolutely great news! Hurry and look at the news; 'American Idol' is being slammed."
Carol took two steps forward, leaning in to answer, and a mature woman's scent instantly wafted over him.
"Oh no, she's trying to dribble past me. Should I tackle her?"
"Idiot! Get a grip!"
Chasing the lewd thoughts out of his mind, Eric opened his computer: "What's going on?"
"Hmm, I have some impression."
"Justin Timberlake wasn't in the promotional video, so the audience thought Fox had cut him out. But after the show aired last night, everyone realized it was all fake."
"Justin Timberlake not only sat on the judging panel but also had the most screen time. He spoke a lot and had extensive interactions."
"The audience is furious. They feel cheated, and now they're all cursing Fox and the production team."
As Carol spoke, she burst into laughter, and her large breasts bounced up and down with her laughter, very unruly, desperately needing a pair of strong hands to teach them manners.
The computer went to the homepage, and Eric was about to click on Yahoo.
Carol shook her head, reached out and took Eric's hand, moving the mouse elsewhere.
"Boss, not this one. The main battleground is on Fox's official website."
Eric frowned slightly. This action clearly exceeded a secretary's duties. This woman had ulterior motives.
However, before he could react, Carol had already casually withdrawn her hand and smiled apologetically.
"My hands are a bit rough. Ever since Ron passed away, I've had to mow the lawn and fix pipes by myself. Those really aren't jobs for a woman."
Eric's attention returned to Fox's official website interface, where he found the message board. He scrolled down and immediately burst into laughter.
Bad reviews, cursing, complaints.
It was almost entirely a barrage of insults. Looking further down, there were hundreds of pages.
He clicked directly to the last page, which contained old messages and no insults.
He flipped forward again, all the way to page fifty-something, and finally saw the first negative review.
"'American Idol' still has that scumbag Justin. Bad review, goodbye!"
He checked the time; it was left at 8:10 PM last night, meaning the complaints had already started just ten minutes after the show began.
"Trash show for trash people. Fox loses goodwill!"
"Everyone, definitely don't watch 'American Idol.' It's pure fraud. They didn't cut Justin Timberlake's scenes at all."
"I declare that after 'sharknado,' the biggest TV fraud of the millennium has been born! The difference is that 'sharknado' brings us joy, while 'American Idol' only brings us disgust!"
"What the hell is the production team doing?! Why are they still keeping that Justin guy? Is he Murdoch's ancestor?!"
"To be fair and objective, 'American Idol' generally continued the style and standard of the first season. Simon is still interesting, and Randy Jackson and Eminem are decent, but Justin Timberlake is definitely the biggest failure. Let it end like this."
"Warning, scumbag alert!"
"Not only am I going to give 'American Idol' a bad review, but I'm also going to give 'The Voice of America' a good review. After watching half a season of 'The Voice' during the day, the contrast is just too strong."
"I agree with the above. After watching 'The Voice' and then 'American Idol,' I dare say that even if the latter performed perfectly, it would definitely not be a match for the former. 'The Voice's' variety show format has already left 'American Idol' far behind."
"'The Voice' is so damn good! I'm in love with Bruno Mars. He's not handsome, but he's so charming when he sings."
"Katy Perry is the true goddess. It's hard to imagine a young girl who just came of age having such strong vocals. That explosive power is stronger than many famous singers, at least much stronger than Randy Jackson and Eminem."
"Cyril's performance was also god-tier. A white guy rapping, I feel like I'm seeing another Eminem. CAA should just sign him and have him dethrone Eminem."
"Am I the only one who likes Taylor Swift? Although this little girl's singing skills aren't as good as Katy Perry's, I just like her."
"I like Taylor too. A little promotion: Taylor has opened a Facebook account, go follow her quickly."
"Hahahaha, The Big Six still want to encircle and suppress MGM. Is this the method they're using? It's absolutely laughable."
"Eric Cooper is awesome!"
Starting from page 55, it is estimated that at least over ten thousand people left comments on Fox's official website.
They were either giving bad reviews or praising The Voice.
Listening to everyone praise your opponent on your own turf, perhaps there is no greater pain in the world.
Carol's eyes almost curved into crescents: "Boss, the last comment shows a time of 9:12 PM. That means in just one hour, 'American Idol' was slammed by at least tens of thousands of people."
"And Fox initially tried to delete posts, but then too many people started cursing, and they couldn't keep up. In the end, they could only close comments. It's absolutely hilarious."
"Now, it's not just on Fox's official website; many forums and chat rooms are also criticizing it. 'American Idol's' fraudulent behavior has angered the public."
Eric then opened Rotten Tomatoes, where the fresh rating was only 46%. It's important to remember that this represents mainstream taste; only a fresh rating of 75% or higher indicates that a work is widely accepted by the public.
The first season of 'American Idol' had a fresh rating of 96%, a difference of a full 50%. And this was only the first day; as the number of raters increases, it's conceivable that there's still a lot of room for it to drop.
Looking at The Voice's rating, it astonishingly reached a terrifying 99%. While some people likely gave it high marks specifically to annoy 'American Idol,' it also indirectly proved The Voice's excellence.
Then there was IMDb, another score that made one snort with laughter. 'American Idol' only received a 1, and it still had a lot of room to drop.
In contrast, The Voice received an exceptionally high score of 7. Even though variety shows are generally graded more leniently than movies, this score still dropped quite a few jaws.
Letting out a long breath, Eric sneered, "I originally thought 'American Idol' would at least put up a fight. It seems I overestimated Fox."
He picked up his phone and dialed Michael's number.
"Michael, what are you doing? Have you been following the news?"
On the other end, children's laughter rang out, and Eric knew immediately it was Paris.
Currently, those who visited Neverland Ranch were usually his friends. Unfamiliar children had to be thoroughly vetted beforehand to avoid causing trouble again.
Although there was some regret, the premise of doing charity was to protect one's own safety, and no one would object to this.
"Uncle Cooper, when are you coming to my house to play?" a childish voice said.
"Paris? My little dear, do you miss me?"
"Yes, today is the weekend, and I don't have to go to school. Come play with me, and bring Elizabeth sister along."
"Today might not be convenient. Elizabeth has work and is busy."
"But you haven't come for a long time." Paris's tone was a bit disappointed.
"Next week, I'll bring a few more friends to accompany you. How does that sound?"
"Okay, then it's a deal! No changing your mind!"
"It's a deal, no changing your mind! Where's your dad?"
"He's in the kitchen. Dad! (Voice cracking) It's Uncle Cooper's call."
Soon, Michael's voice came through the phone.
"Eric, sorry, I'm studying a recipe I brought back from China last time. What's up?"
"'American Idol' is finished, do you know?"
"Hahahahaha, of course! I was refreshing the news all last night. Fox made an incredibly wrong decision. Instead of biting the bullet and continuing to air it, they should have shelved this season. At least their reputation wouldn't have collapsed to this extent!"
"Fox would want to, but unfortunately, it can't! If they really did that, what about the advertisers? How would they explain to the contestants? They'd have to pay a huge sum of money."
"What's more, the six of them teamed up to target MGM. If they retreat on the first battle, how would their teammates see it? How would outsiders see it?"
"Fox is caught in a dilemma, stuck in the middle and uncomfortable. They have to do it even if they don't want to, but this fraud they pulled off was simply too low-level."
"So what do you think Fox will do next? Apologize? That might win back some public favor."
"Apologize? Absolutely impossible!" Eric said mockingly.
"Michael, do you think that old bastard Murdoch's personality would allow him to admit fault? He's a media mogul who can turn clouds into rain and manipulate the public. Asking him to apologize is like asking Clinton not to cheat or Hawking to stand up. Besides, it's just a variety show, it's not that serious."
"You're right. It seems 'American Idol' is likely to die a natural death."
"I'd say it'll die a sudden death midway!"
"Hahahahaha"
"Also, many people are asking for the full version to be released, just like TV dramas. Everyone wants to see the follow-up quickly."
"And that thing you mentioned has indeed happened."
"Advertisers contacted the company?" Eric's eyes lit up. He had called specifically for this matter.
"Yes, now 'The Voice' only has the final left, and this one will be live. This morning, someone contacted me through friends, hoping to place advertisements during the final."
"What did you say? You didn't agree, right?"
"Of course not. We're on a roll right now. After the semi-finals air, the price will definitely skyrocket."
"Right, keep those businessmen on a string. We must really fleece them for the final's advertisements and earn back all the money we missed out on before!"
Advertising prices in the United States are highest for the Super Bowl. This year, the average price for a 30-second Super Bowl ad was 2.3 million US dollars, and typically around 50 such ads are sold.
This means that solely from advertising revenue, a single Super Bowl can generate a terrifying sum of over 100 million dollars.
In terms of TV series, NBC's 'friends' is in its final season this year. The network has already announced that for the final episode, bids below 1.8 million US dollars will not be accepted, with an expected average price of 2 million US dollars.
The viewership for the final episode of friends is estimated to be around 35 million, while the Super Bowl is even more exaggerated, with approximately 80 million viewers. There are valid reasons for the higher prices.
The Voice still has a month and a half until the final, so it remains to be seen how many viewers it can accumulate.
It doesn't need to surpass 'friends,' because cable TV ads are naturally more expensive than those on public TV.
Public television is free to watch, so while it has a large audience, the number of people willing to pay for content isn't necessarily high. Cable television, however, requires payment, which is something advertisers value more.
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