America's Road to Fame

Chapter 333 Lobbying and the Nobel
Netflix’s acquisition of 25th Century MGM Pictures was finally completed by Netflix’s directional issuance of 8 million common shares to Meta Group at a price of US$200 per share, which is equivalent to 83345 billion shares of 95.18th Century MGM. After the acquisition, the Meta Group held a total of [-] million Netflix shares, accounting for [-]% of the total share capital.

At this time, the price of Netflix stock in the secondary market was around US$23.5. After the announcement of this acquisition, the market immediately gave positive feedback. Netflix’s stock price directly rose to US$27, an increase of nearly 15%.

In order to take care of investors in the secondary market, the Meta Group, which already holds more than 95% of Netflix’s shares, issued a privatization offer to other Netflix investors, and will take back Netflix shares at a price of $30 per share.

But before again, not surprisingly, the US Federal Trade Commission announced an antitrust investigation into Netflix's acquisition of [-]th Century MGM.

The two companies need to give a reasonable explanation for the FTC's inquiry.

……

"How do you do, Mr. Eppel Hermann?"

"Yes, I am Eppel Hermann, may I ask who you are?"

"I'm an employee of Off Hill Strategies. I know you work for the FTC. Can you talk a little bit about the acquisition of Netflix? Don't worry, it's next to the coffee shop, public place, we just want you to know Some relevant information..."

From this time on, the lobbying firm hired by Chen William began to work, and their employees began to contact the relevant personnel of the FTC responsible for the antitrust investigation of Netflix's acquisition. This kind of thing is very common in the United States.

In the case of Netflix’s acquisition of [-]th Century MGM, they gave several materials to deny the fact of monopoly:

The first is that whether it is the acquirer Netflix or the acquired [-]th Century MGM Pictures, the most important feature that does not involve monopoly before and after is the uniqueness of cooperation with the other party.

After the acquisition, Netflix still welcomes other film and television companies to put content on its broadcasting platform. In terms of cooperation conditions, it will not be any different from [-]th Century MGM Pictures; It will be the only distribution partner of [-]th Century MGM Pictures, and they will continue their original cooperation in traditional theater distribution and other DVD rentals.

Second, on the contrary, the acquisition this time is a targeted refusal of Netflix to cooperate with Hollywood Film Company, and instead licenses the content to its competitor Hulu alone. In this helpless situation, choices made.

On the contrary, Netflix is ​​the party that is less willing to form a monopoly. If under the current circumstances, these content parties are only authorized to one of the streaming media platforms alone, it will cause the American people to aggravate when they are engaged in film and television entertainment. burden.

Because the content that the public likes may be exclusively owned by different streaming media platforms, so if they want to see these content, only many members who have opened multiple streaming media platforms can watch it, which makes the American people need Pay more to see the content that can be seen only by choosing a streaming media platform.

Netflix is ​​even preparing to issue an initiative to allow those content providers, including Hollywood companies, to refuse exclusive authorization, but to open their content to all streaming media platforms, allowing the public to freely choose their favorite platforms to watch all interested parties. Content.

Therefore, under the current circumstances, these lobbying companies first need to explain these facts to the FTC personnel in charge of the investigation, and make it clear that in subsequent inquiries, they will use this as evidence that the acquisition will not cause monopoly.

In fact, this is also the case. If it is under the same conditions, Netflix is ​​not afraid of the challenge of any streaming media platform including Hulu, because it can be seen from the location of the headquarters that Netflix is ​​headquartered in Silicon Valley. Up is an Internet company in Silicon Valley. In terms of streaming media business, it develops more with Internet thinking.

Hulu is headquartered in Hollywood. Even if it is a streaming media company, it is still developing with the thinking of a traditional Hollywood company. This is why William Chen was not optimistic about Hulu at the beginning. When it was Century Fox, it would not be indifferent to the 30% of Hulu's shares.

No matter what, Chen William still convinced Scarlet and made her attitude change. As for who it is, you don't need to care about these details.

After staying with Nozomi Sasaki for a few days, William Chen returned to New York.

Don't forget, he still has the status of a student. At the beginning, he studied for a master's degree in economics at New York University, which lasted three semesters. By this winter, it will be the last semester of William Chen's study. If you want to succeed To get this degree, William Chen needs to work harder, not only to complete the credits, but also to complete the final graduation project and thesis.

These are not difficult for William Chen, but they just need to spend some time on them.

And since the Caitlin Foundation has donated another 2000 million US dollars to New York University, I am afraid that it will be more difficult for William Chen not to get this diploma than to get it smoothly.

Of course, his goal was never just to get a degree. Otherwise, with Chen Weilian's current wealth, there is no need to make unnecessary efforts. He still wants to learn more.

Just like William Chen, although he didn’t come to New York University for a long time during his studies here, both he and his assistant Erica have always kept in touch with his mentor, Professor Thomas Sargent, even though Chen William didn't know that one year later, his professor would award the 2011 Nobel Prize in Economics to American economist and New York University professor Sarkin for the reason of "empirical research on causality in macroeconomics". Special and Sims, a professor at Princeton University.

……

Up to now, the Meta Future Building has been transformed and has become a landmark building on Fifth Avenue. It has also become the headquarters of Meta Group and Meta Investment Company.

When you enter Fifth Avenue, it is easy to find the very distinctive Meta Future Building from among the many buildings. The double-section rocket-like shape looks full of futuristic.

Of course, on the top floor of this building, overlooking the scenery outside is even more fascinating.Especially when William Chen let go of Paris' waist and watched her limp on the carpet...

"Damn it, William, I can't get up, my feet are numb."

"It's okay, honey, it'll be fine later."

"Are you sure you're not going to carry me into the bathroom and let me take a good bath? If it weren't for you bastard..."

"Okay, honey, I was just kidding you."

William Chen's office on the top floor of the Meta Future Building is naturally not too small. It can even be said that the entire top floor is his territory.

When putting Paris into the bath and putting hot water on her, she still complained a little:

"Don't you think Delphine is too strong? Honey, she gave me too little shares, less than 30%!"

"Uh, Paris, in fact, HC Fashion Company still has too few brands. After all, where is the size of Delphine's father's LVHM Group?"

What Paris is complaining about is Rick Walton's fiancée Delphine Arnault. Perhaps she got inspiration from the Zoom that Rick is running. Commercial brand, and invited HC fashion company as a partner to invest in shares.

It’s just that it’s obvious now that Paris, the title of Miss Hilton Group, doesn’t seem to be very useful to Delphine, and it’s also understandable that, as the princess of LVHM Group, Delphine is not Kardashian. The kind of person who needs to please Paris.

In fact, objectively speaking, Delfina, who has more luxury brand resources, is willing to give 25% of the luxury e-commerce shares of Paris and William Chen's HC fashion company, which is not too small. , I am afraid that it is more of the kind of resentment that Delfina compares to.

(End of this chapter)