Rebirth of America, this is my time

Chapter 321 Die!

While Roy Disney was astonished, in New York, at the headquarters of CBS, William Paley, the company's founder and actual controller of the company, was listening to reports from his subordinates.

When he learned that Thomas O'Neill, the chairman of General Tire, had flown to San Francisco early this morning, the wizened old man leaning on the sofa suddenly laughed.

"Thomas O'Neill went to see Ethan Jones?"

He cast an affirmative look at his subordinate.

"should be."

The middle-aged man in a suit who came to report nodded.

"The purpose of his search for Ethan Jones is to get over James Wright?"

William Paley continued to ask.

"High probability."

The subordinate in suit gave affirmation.

"Oh - this is really a cute opponent!"

William Paley laughed out loud, his tone full of mockery, "What kind of bargaining chips do you think Thomas O'Neal will use to trade with Ethan Jones? Or, do you think Thomas O'Neal will use it to protect his own broadcast?" At what cost to the networks?”

"I..." The subordinate in suit didn't know how to answer.

William Paley was minding his own business and said: "His biggest bargaining chip should be Disney's stock? And that...should be Ethan Jones's favorite thing at the moment?"

The confident tone brought back memories of William Paley.

Last year, when he received a call from his stepdaughter Amanda Cushing and learned that the stability of Hollywood was closely related to him, he asked his company subordinates to start collecting information on Ethan.

He was deeply impressed by the rocket-like speed of the Destiny Game;

Ethan Jones’s rich background is fresh in his memory;

But these are not the focus of his attention.

What really interested him was Ethan Jones's development plan.

When William Paley discovered that Ethan Jones wanted to embrace the new entertainment of video games while clinging to the old entertainment of film, television and music, he took this matter to heart.

Firstly, it is because CBS is a giant in the media industry and has a deep cooperative relationship with traditional entertainment. Whether it is Hollywood movies or popular music, that is the content they need. If Ethan Jones can To shine in the traditional entertainment industry, they may have the possibility of cooperation, but of course, there is also the risk of becoming each other's enemies.

Secondly, it is because he wants to know whether traditional entertainment and new entertainment can really be organically combined. If so, then they can also get involved in new entertainment and gain new growth.

When William Paley began to pay attention to these things, the Disney family war appeared in front of him like a series. Roy Disney's attack and Ron Miller's counterattack were all seen by him. Although William Paley did not expect that Epic Records' sale of Michael Jackson would make CBS the first to become an insider clown, but...

None of these things matter, right?

Even if a small music artist becomes popular, it will not take Colombia further.

So, what’s really interesting is Ethan Jones’s struggle in the quagmire!

The situation of wanting but not getting it is really interesting!

Because of this, when William Paley learned that the prey targeted by CBS and the one he had been paying attention to suddenly met, the first reaction in his mind was the exchange of resources.

As for how he knew General Tire owned shares in Disney?

This matter is a long story...

"Boss, do you think General Tire will use Disney's shares to let Ethan Jones help it tide over the difficulties?" The subordinate in the suit looked surprised, "If I remember correctly, General Tire does not directly hold Disney's shares, right? ?They hold it indirectly through the Ford Foundation? And the Ford family had some minor frictions with Ethan Jones over the Komodo deal?"

"When the Fords and Ethan Jones were enemies of each other..."

"Are they going to sell their Disney stock to Ethan Jones?"

"This probability..."

"Maybe it's very small..."

Although his subordinates slightly disagreed with his judgment, William Paley didn't care.

He waved his hands with a smile and said, "It's actually normal for you to have such thoughts."

"Because you don't know how deep the partnership between General Tire and Ford is."

"General Tire made its fortune in World War I, and Ford..."

"They were the great heroes in the First World War."

Ford cars were born in 1903, but by 1908 they were already popular.

Because at that time, Henry Ford launched the world's first car that used a large number of common parts for large-scale assembly line assembly operations - the Model T car.

When Ford cars have 'universal' attributes, their popularity will become very rapid, and their selling price is also very close to the people. Two hundred and sixty US dollars is a price that most ordinary people can afford, so , America has since become a 'nation on wheels'.

In just five years, Ford became a household name in America.

But that’s not the point where they really take off.

With the advent of World War I, they were directly selected by the federal government due to their 'universal' attributes and became America's largest supplier of military vehicles.

Rescue, cargo transport, staff transport, troop transport...

Whenever America needs it, Ford is there.

When the wartime munitions label appeared, Ford announced in 1917 that they had produced a total of two million Model T cars. In 1921, this number reached five million.

Accounting for 56.6% of the world's total automobile production.

By 2024, Ford's 10 millionth Model T officially rolled off the assembly line.

In 2007, Ford produced its 15 millionth Model T car.

When the Ford family monopolized the entire automobile industry, they had only four tire suppliers.

The first family was themselves. In 1920, the Ford family purchased a lot of land in South America to cultivate and plant rubber trees independently and produce automobile tires themselves.

The second, third, and fourth companies were all different at first, but after General Tire’s owners, the O’Neal family, wielded a sickle to make acquisitions in the industry...

They became Ford's largest tire supplier.

Sixty years ago, when Henry Ford was still alive.

General Tire and Ford Motor Company are already experiencing both prosperity and loss!

But these are not actually proof that their blood is thicker than water.

What really united them was the exit of the Model T.

When the Model T was eliminated from the market in 1926 due to design problems, they encountered difficulties in promoting the Model A when they wanted to sell it to the market. At that time, General Tire, which had been hit by the Great Depression, happened to enter the radio industry. Since then, General Tire, which owns the radio network, has become the best promoter of Ford cars. Later, General Tire's radio network became the first FM-receiver on Ford cars.

Not only that, General Tire is the largest purchaser of other auto parts businesses...

Also a Ford.

“When the partnership between the O’Neill family and the Ford family changed from a simple supplier to a full-scale partnership, the O’Neill family also became a donor to the Ford Foundation.”

William Paley picked up the tea cup in front of him and took a sip.

The suitable temperature made him squint his eyes.

"General Tire's broadcast network has always been a public voice for Ford."

"And now, there's something wrong with their public opinion window?"

"If it was possible to just pay some Disney stock, Ford would be willing to do it."

"Not to mention, wasn't it because of Ethan Jones that the Ford family bought Disney's stock? Holding Disney stock itself has no meaning to the Ford family. Now, if these meaningless things can be The waste paper becomes the key to breaking the deadlock..."

"Then they would be extremely happy."

As a celebrity in New York and the godfather of the CBS Network, rumors circulating on Wall Street have actually appeared on his desk long ago——

For example, Goldman Sachs’ plan to follow suit is to take advantage of Ethan Jones’s success and make profits from the wildly fluctuating stock prices of Hollywood studios;

Like the Ford family's hidden revenge, it is to quietly absorb Disney's stocks in the public market, waiting for Ethan Jones to come forward to attack, and at the critical moment to join forces with other shareholders to help Ron Miller stabilize the company's overall situation and let Ethan Jones Unable to succeed with Roy Disney, he sought revenge for his previous acquisition and tried to reap greater rewards on the grounds of absolute neutrality;

For another example, Morgan Stanley is also suspected of manipulating stock prices. In the past, they worked against Ethan Jones and provided many benefits to protect the Hollywood film giant, although they did not pay real money in the last transaction. , but how could the jackals of Wall Street accept humiliation without fighting back?

When these messages were connected in series by William Paley, General Tire's solution to the problem became clear and discernible, and his analysis also made the subordinates in suits nod their heads, and then...

He added: "Boss, what should we do now?"

"Should we contact NBC and ABC?"

Although it was in the interests of the three major North American radio and television networks to kill General Tire, and they did cooperate when doing so, they had no contact with each other from the beginning to the end.

First of all, it’s not necessary.

Everyone does things that add insult to injury.

Secondly, I don’t want to follow the truth.

If General Tire discovers their private alliance, then this guy who is deeply bound to Ford Motor Company will definitely cause trouble. At that time, it will not be dismemberment of General Tire, but the three of them using their monopoly position to bully the weak.

Because of this, William Paley immediately shook his head and said: "There is no need to contact there, because they will definitely receive news of the meeting between Thomas O'Neill and Ethan Jones."

"Then let them unite?" the subordinate in suit asked cautiously.

And his question made William Paley laugh out loud.

"Oh, how do you know Ethan Jones will join forces with Thomas O'Neill?"

"Ethan Jones is no fool."

"No matter how much he likes Disney, he can't do it at this time..."

"???" William Paley's determination confused his subordinates in suits.

But at this moment, he knew that he should not continue to ask.

Because his boss had already leaned on the sofa and closed his eyes.

And when William Paley was smiling, as if he had a chance to win, Ethan Jones, who listened to the latest offer at Philoli Manor in California, also shook his head——

"Sorry, Mr. O'Neill, I'm not interested in your offer."

"Why?" Thomas O'Neill looked surprised.

He didn't understand why Ethan would still disagree when he had made such a sincere offer? Doesn’t Ethan like Disney? And now the opportunity to buy shares at a low price is at hand!

Why would he refuse?

Roy Disney, Barry Diller, and Michael Eisner also frowned.

They cast doubtful glances at Ethan.

They didn't understand Ethan's thoughts either.

Ethan shrugged his shoulders and said, "Because you are dishonest."

"What?" Thomas O'Neill didn't understand this outrageous reason.

Ethan continued: "Mr. O'Neill, if I guess correctly, the Disney stock you hold, or the Disney stock you can find, must be more than 3%."

"Because you just said, after you convert the first two chips into cash, I still need to pay at least half the price to put these Disney stocks in my pocket."

"If you still don't understand, then I'll let them explain it to you..."

“What is Disney’s current market value?”

Ethan looked at Roy Disney.

"A little over one billion."

Roy Disney answered immediately.

“What’s three percent of a billion?”

Ethan looked at Barry Diller.

"thirty million."

Barry Diller laughed as he reacted.

"What is the minimum value of RKO and the resort together?"

Ethan moved his gaze to Michael Eisner.

"If I were to buy them, I would pay at least fifty million in cash for them."

Michael Eisner curled his lips and sighed. Although he also hoped that the deal could be reached, he was not a fool. He also knew that Ethan Jones was not an idiot. "If General Tire feels that 50 million is too little, then I will still It can be increased, but it will not exceed 70 million at most.”

"Snapped--"

Ethan clapped his hands, looked at Thomas O'Neill, and said: "Fifty million times two, that's 100 million. If you exchange it for Disney stock, it will be at least 10%."

"Although I don't believe that you can hold at least 10% of Disney's outstanding shares, because then you will become Disney's largest shareholder bigger than Roy Disney, but you can't hold only 10% of the shares. Three, otherwise you wouldn’t have been able to subconsciously say sell me at half price.”

"so……"

"Mr. O'Neill, how can I cooperate with you when you have already lied to me?"

"Not to mention……"

"Do you, General Tire, also hold shares in Disney in advance?"

"Oh - is this to snipe me?"

"Since you have wanted to mess with me from the beginning, it is even more impossible for me to cooperate with you now!"

That’s right!

While Roy Disney was still surprised by Thomas O'Neill's shareholding, Ethan Jones had already smelled the anomaly in the air!

Did General Tire own Disney stock in advance?

Then aren't they the masterminds behind the previous cases?

When these guys have ignored him several times, now that they are in trouble, they want to use the capital that has ignored him to make a deal?

Damn it!