Chapter 155: Discussing the Show

The head of variety programming at Xinghang TV was a woman in her thirties, a formidable corporate leader with piercing eyes and the imposing aura of authority.

However, this had no effect on Su Tong. During their first meeting, this fierce professional was actually somewhat intimidated by him; the young man seemed born of the Great Qin imperial family, combining a noble disposition with the cold, lethal intent of an ancient military general.

"You want to launch a reality show on our Xinghang TV?" Tao Jingjing sat in her office chair, leaning back against the rest with her fingers intertwined over her lower abdomen, looking with keen interest at Su Tong, whose handsomeness was beyond compare.

Full of confidence and high-spirited, Su Tong replied, "Yes, this reality show of mine is called *Fairies Descending to Earth*. Throughout the entire Great Qin, and even the whole world, the concept is entirely unique..."

As a live-stream host, Su Tong was articulate and eloquent. He presented his ideas and outlined his proposal in a structured, crystal-clear manner, taking just over ten minutes to explain the creative concept and general framework of his show to Tao Jingjing.

Initially, Tao Jingjing had assumed that Su Tong was simply suffering from inflated self-confidence due to his recent surge in fame. But the more she listened, the brighter her eyes became. Domestic reality shows were currently in a booming phase, with many television stations engaging in fierce competition in the genre.

Aside from *The Voice*, the ratings for Xinghang TV's other reality shows could only be described as dismal, lagging far behind commercial broadcasters like Xianghu TV and Dragon TV.

Su Tong's reality show concept was unprecedentedly novel.

Yet, Tao Jingjing was not impulsive. While imaginations were wonderful, putting plans into action would inevitably bring numerous challenges.

"Camera crews are crucial, and post-production editors are just as important... Our station doesn't produce this type of show, which means we lack a professional team. Your side is also experiencing such a format for the very first time. Can your production crew keep up, and can they execute this properly? With obstacles at every turn, how can I dare to entrust this show to you?" Tao Jingjing stated.

She then added, "Furthermore, given your background, even inviting celebrities will be difficult. They won't dare accept this gig. If it turns out badly, not only is it a waste of time, but it's also akin to self-destruction, earning the disgust of their fans. Right now, you've only given me a general outline; I haven't seen the formal proposal, so I can't make a final decision."

Su Tong smiled faintly. "I have already explained the concept and the general outline. A formal proposal is part of the procedure after signing the contract. You needn't worry about my background—at the very least, you ought to trust me. *I Am My Own Spokesperson* is the result of my team's efforts. Of course, that was just a minor practice run. My team members are all still students at the Beijing Film Academy, but after a month and a half of coordination and practical experience, they managed to produce a television series that, while I won't dare call a massive viral hit, is certainly worthy of being called excellent. How about this? Let me show you our results. Please spare forty to fifty minutes to watch it with me, and then properly evaluate my team."

Since today was meant for business discussions, Tao Jingjing did not refuse. Su Tong retrieved a USB flash drive from his bag and plugged it into the USB port on Tao Jingjing's computer.

"This is the first episode of *iPartment*. You can watch it first and see how an amateur team grows into a professional one. You can verify it yourself; they are all students who have never filmed a single movie or television series before." Su Tong opened the first episode of *iPartment*.

In order to expand his career path in show business, Su Tong was going all out, promoting his show, promoting himself, and promoting his team.

If his pitch for this show succeeded, the significance would be monumental.

Once he signed a contract with Xinghang, even if it were only for this specific show, securing a spot in the top four of *The Voice* would no longer be an issue.

More importantly, through this program, he could break into the inner circle of television stations.

Television stations remained the mainstream medium; internet television in this world was still in its developmental stages.

Whether it was television dramas, variety programs, or news, traditional television held the largest market share.

Viewing *iPartment* from the perspective of a television professional, Tao Jingjing intended to pick apart the shortcomings of Su Tong's team. However, as she watched, even she, a woman in her thirties, could not suppress her laughter.

The plot and the lines were simply too hilarious; even a man who had just been castrated would burst out laughing upon watching this.

"Ha ha, classmate Su, can our television station take a look at this series? I think management would be very interested in purchasing the broadcast rights, or even the premiere broadcast rights," Tao Jingjing said, her eyes shining brightly as she completely forgot about the primary business at hand.

Su Tong closed the video and pulled out the USB drive.

"Sister Tao, that is a separate matter and can be discussed later. Let's first talk about our main business," Su Tong said with a smile.

Tao Jingjing patted her head, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"When it comes to making television dramas, your team certainly has its merits, but producing a reality show is entirely different, isn't it?" Tao Jingjing argued.

Su Tong furrowed his brow slightly. "I said before, my team's growth rate exceeds your imagination. They are all newcomers, yet they reached this stage in just a month and a half, and they are currently preparing for the reality show production. If you aren't satisfied, then today's conversation ends right here."

With that, Su Tong stood up, showing no desire to continue the discussion.

He had already shown more than enough sincerity. If this place wouldn't keep him, there were plenty of other places that would.

It was a pity that *iPartment* was still in post-production. Although it wouldn't take many more days, even when completed, it couldn't be sold right away because Yang Feifei was holding the entire production crew back.

During this period, he would just focus on promotion and building anticipation.

"Hey, classmate Su, wait." Seeing that Su Tong was about to leave, Tao Jingjing hurriedly stood up and reached out to stop him.

She didn't know Su Tong very well, but based solely on the inspirational advertisement *I Am My Own Spokesperson* and the production of *iPartment*, she was already certain that Su Tong could not be judged merely by his age.

Before Su Tong came in to talk with her, Li Guowei, her capable subordinate, had warned her that if negotiations broke down, Su Tong might withdraw from *The Voice* competition due to the rules.

By then, the ratings for *The Voice* would inevitably take a hit. After four consecutive seasons of *The Voice*—the first season a massive hit, the second reaching its peak, and the third suffering something of a Waterloo, performing far worse than the first two—the production team had analyzed this fourth season and concluded that if not for Su Tong's sudden appearance, the ratings might not have been much better than the third season's.

Right now, the ratings for the fourth season had clearly returned to the level of the first season.

"Don't be so hasty; we can still talk," Tao Jingjing said, eyeing Su Tong's television series with lingering temptation. If she could secure the rights for the station, even if she only acted as a bridge, it would be a major achievement.

While commercial television stations were shaking off the constraints of film and music industry corporations, competition among themselves was also fierce, and without exception, everything was driven by ratings.

"We've already finished talking. If you want to discuss the rest, talk to my manager. I'll still be in Shanghai for another day." Young and full of vigor, Su Tong couldn't be bothered to continue. He had already put in the necessary effort, and appearing too anxious would only cause him to lose the upper hand.

As for the broadcast rights to *iPartment*, Su Tong was not worried about finding a buyer among television stations.

The Great Qin Empire held a controlling stake in a television station. Although it could only be considered a second-tier broadcaster and fell far short of commercial giants like Xinghang and Xianghu, it still had a solid viewer base.

If worst came to worst, through Sister Yaya, the imperial house would buy the broadcast rights for *iPartment*.

If Xinghang TV refused to give him the opportunity to record the *Fairies Descending to Earth* reality show, he would simply go find another network to cooperate with.