Rebirth of the Tech Madman

...

Tang Huan's presence at the Time Warner Turner board meeting can only be described as a rare guest.

After the marriage of Turner Broadcasting Corporation and Time Warner, two board seats were obtained, one of which was kept by Ted Turner himself, and the other was given to the richest man who had provided long-term support.

Compared with Ted Turner who has been guarding his one-acre three-point land in Time Warner Turner in the past few years, Tang Huan is almost like an invisible man - there are meetings, either telephone connections, or entrusted A representative came over, it can be said that the dragon sees the beginning but does not see the end.

However, this kind of absent-minded performance is not uncommon in Time Warner Turner's board of directors-after all, several people are also multi-tasking.

Old and pretty Murph Adelson was the first to say hello: Don, has the box office of Titanic exceeded 2 billion dollars?

It shouldn't be a big problem. The richest man nodded slightly, and then casually asked Beverly Sears Glenough, Ma'am, is the preparation for the renovation plan of the Lincoln Performing Arts Center going well?

We can start work as scheduled next year. Beverly Sears Glenough replied with a smile, Thank you Don for your help.

I'm willing to help. Tang Huan said politely, and then chatted with Carla Hayes about his business in China.

Of course, no matter how charismatic Mr. Richest Man is, he can’t eat everyone—— Robben Mark, who was often ridiculed by Ted Turner as a layman, teased Wu and Wudi: “Don, why don’t you have the time to do it yourself today? Come on? Could it be that Zheru Software's antitrust lawsuit is over?

Of course it's not that easy? Tang Huan shrugged, You may have heard that the Ministry of Justice requires Zheru Software Company to keep any paper materials. As a result, the files piled up like a mountain, and I was squeezed so that I had no place to sit, so I had to run Came here.

Everyone was amused by Mr. Richest Man's humor and exaggeration, and Robben Mark also shyly stopped chasing him.

Beverly Sears Glenough asked curiously: Is it serious that a company does not allow the use of paper shredders in its daily office?

Perhaps, it varies from company to company. Tang Huan joked, You might as well ask Time Warner Turner to do an experiment right now.

...

The time soon came to exactly two o'clock in the afternoon. All members of the board of directors of Time Warner Turner took their seats, and the meeting officially began.

Gerald Levine, who first appeared on the stage, performed eloquently based on the experience accumulated in previous rehearsals.

Seeing that his old enemy made a lot of gibberish opening remarks, Robben Mark finally couldn't bear it anymore, and interrupted rudely: I've been rambling for a long time, what you mean is to turn Time Warner Turner with a history of more than 70 years Selling it to America Online, which has only been established for more than ten years—what are you doing for it? What is the reason for the other party?

Gerald Levine, whose performance was getting better and better, was stunned and speechless by such a sudden blow to the head.

Robben Mark, who succeeded in the raid, suddenly felt complacent, turned his gaze to the richest man, and continued to post: Don, I know you are still an important investor in America Online—can you tell me the real reason for this transaction?

Tang Huan met Robben Mark's aggressive gaze without a trace of fireworks, and said leisurely: Henry Luce, the founder of the era, once said a famous saying - the 20th century is the century of the United States; now I can Tell you - the next century is the century of the Internet!

Although everyone is a boss-level figure, there are still strengths and weaknesses in the aura - Robben Mark looked back and muttered bitterly: You are a veteran in the computer and Internet business, of course you must try your best to promote them value.

My point of view is of course just a family opinion... Tang Huan made a continue gesture to Gerald Levin, So, we need to invite investment bankers to do professional analysis.

After scolding Robben Mark in his heart as a bullying idiot\

,"Gerald Levine stopped talking, and directly mentioned the fair opinion of the Wall Street investment bank.

The labor fee of US$50 million for each company is really extraordinary. The very hardworking Salomon Brothers and Morgan Stanley fooled all the directors to change their faces.

Among them, Mary Meeker, a well-known Internet analyst from Morgan Stanley, gave the best performance.

She vividly described the bright future after the merger of Time Warner Turner and AOL, and made fun of the financial laws of the future world that still value assets, and ended with the most provocative words: Henry Luce and Steve Steve Case was separated at birth, but after a series of hardships, failures and setbacks, Steve Case and Henry Luce recognized each other by the imprint on their signet ring, or something other side.

After Mary Meeker's interesting and revealing speech, Paul Tumberman, M\u0026A banker at Morgan Stanley Media and Telecommunications, also started a passionate speech.

After these Wall Street elites completed their mission, the indomitable Gerald Levine re-entered the stage and continued to perform.

The meeting lasted from two o'clock in the afternoon to seven o'clock in the evening, and there was no sign of ending it. Among the more than a dozen directors present, except for Tang Huan, who belonged to the prime of life of the 40-year-old man, the others were basically around 60 years old, or even older, and were bombed by fatigue to a certain extent. Looking tired.

During the short break, the richest man sat lazily in his seat, answered a call, and even pressed the hands-free button without hesitation.

The content of the call was not a big secret to everyone present—it was held later than Time Warner Turner, but it only took two hours, and the AOL Board of Directors vote, which ended one step earlier, had already won The result of agreeing to the transaction came out.

Compared with Time Warner Turner's stumbling, AOL's decision-making process can only be described as smooth.

Of course, there are also some voices of doubt.

For example, Franklin Rennes, chairman and CEO of Fanny May, one of the board members, questioned why AOL bought Time Warner Turner instead of another cheaper media and entertainment company.

In his words: What I don't understand is, why did you pick Time Warner Turner? It's the most expensive company, and they got the highest multiples - in my opinion, AOL is expensive Already!

Hearing such a description from the speaker of the mobile phone, Gerald Levine and Robben Mark, two enemies who were enemies, spit out the coffee they just drank in their mouths at the same time.

What, there are voices of dissent in AOL's board of directors?

What kind of miser is this, who thinks Time Warner Turner is expensive?

...

After the meeting process resumed, the directors' debate vigor was obviously much weaker. It didn't take long before they agreed unanimously—vote quickly and come up with the results. I'm too tired to resist!

When he saw that the board of directors, who had been at odds before, did not object to the deal between Time Warner Turner and AOL without exception, Gerald Levin was surprised and secretly delighted.

Unexpectedly, the richest man was very dissatisfied when he saw everyone voting feebly, and even proposed: Don't you think that we should have a passionate vote?

This is a historic moment -- AOL Time Warner Turner will grow as fast as the Internet.

Come on, let's show our enthusiasm and conduct a second vote.

Seeing that Tang Huan called on everyone to vote again with passion, Gerald Levine, who was feeling happy in his heart, almost cried——the result of unanimous approval finally came, can you not make trouble? What if some people think about it and cause accidents in voting?

Looking around at the directors present in front of him, the richest man raised his hands and said impassionedly: The growth rate of new companies in the future will be like the Internet.

The growth rate will be like the Internet! As if hypnotized, everyone burst out in unison, and raised their hands in unison.

Seeing that the richest man successfully guided the directors and repeated the vote in a convincing way, the stone in Gerald Levin's heart finally fell to the ground.

At the same time, Gerald Levine couldn't help being terrified in secret—Tang Huan, who rarely appeared on the board of directors, actually had such appeal, what if he entered the arena to fight for power in person? Definitely harder to deal with than the dead Steve Ross! After all, the benefactor who promoted him was also in the hands of the other party during his lifetime, and he suffered a loss. .

However, after he thought about it, he was relieved—the antitrust lawsuit Zheru Software Company is facing is very difficult, even stronger than the richest man, and it is impossible to distract his energy lightly, and his opponent is still Steve Kay. s.

...

Although AOL and Time Warner Turner followed Tang Huan's suggestion and took various measures to block the news, information about the merger between the two companies inevitably leaked out.

It has to be said that this is the credit of the informants developed by the media.

Think about the White House where Trump moved in 20 years after the original time and space. News about various controversial decisions flowed out early and continuously, and you can know what a powerful combination the media and informants are.

The AOL-Time Warner-Turner merger was not immune to this pervasive tracking capability.

Not long after the most time-consuming and labor-intensive Time Warner Turner board vote, Peter Gabel, the president of the Los Angeles bureau of the Wall Street Journal, was awakened by a phone call at home.

The other party was one of his most well-informed sources in Hollywood, and he said straight to the point in a hasty voice: Peter, I have a huge scoop for you—tomorrow morning, Time Warner Turner and AOL, A deal will be announced.

Peter Gabel, who was suddenly fully awake, confirmed based on the past history of Time Warner Turner: Is it a merger or acquisition?

The informant replied without delay: Although the two parties say it is a merger and acquisition, it is actually an acquisition.

What? Peter Gabel asked urgently in surprise, Really? Then who is going to buy whom?

The informant, who is very good at protecting himself, asked in a very level way, Who has the best currency?

...

Peter Gabel rushed to the bathroom, washed his face with cold water, then quickly returned to the living room, and listened to the phone recording again.

He has been in charge of the Wall Street Journal's coverage of Hollywood since 1996, and this informant is an old partner, so he naturally trusts him.

However, the level of information that everyone can access is different after all, and thus there are deviations.

The experienced Peter Gabel still couldn't believe that the news he got was completely true.

America Online actually wants to buy Time Warner Turner?

If true, it would be the biggest scoop of his career.

Thinking of this, Peter Gabel immediately frantically called every Wall Street Journal reporter who covered AOL or Time Warner Turner.

Including the east coast of the United States, almost all of Peter Gabel's colleagues were awakened from their dreams.

Peter Gabel didn't care about these, but kept urging repeatedly, Call all your informants now—I want to know if this news is true!

...

Kyra Swisher has been responsible for The Wall Street Journal's coverage of Silicon Valley and, in 1997, wrote a book about the skyrocketing AOL.

After receiving the instructions, she immediately put down the phone, turned on the computer, dialed up to the Internet, and started the instant messaging software icq acquired by AOL—only the Friends column showed that there were dozens of AOL informants. , they were all online.

Keira Swisher is acutely aware - something big is happening!

So she started sending messages to the informants, asking them to confirm whether the rumors were true, but all the informants went offline immediately, avoiding further questioning.

It has to be said that this is the discipline of AOL, and the gap is still opened on the side of Time Warner Turner.

...

For many years, Martin Pias was in New York covering Time Warner Turner.

After receiving the instruction, he also frantically contacted his informant, but the method was changed from ICQ to the mobile phone of Datang Mobile Communications Company.

In the end, the credit for confirming the news fell to Martin Pias - a senior Time Warner Turner public relations official who was still in a meeting at three o'clock in the morning answered his phone.

Martin Pias, who almost fainted from joy, quickly asked, We just heard that America Online is going to buy Time Warner Turner—can you confirm it?

Yes, it's true—but don't say it, I said it. After the other party answered, he quickly hung up the phone.

...

Peter Gabel, who compiled the news, excitedly called the night editor of Dow Jones Newswires, the parent company of the Wall Street Journal, I have a big scoop for you! Listen, it will catch you off guard, But it is definitely not a prank prepared for April Fool's Day, let alone a scam! Because we have already confirmed it through multiple channels.