Chapter 582: Comcast Comes to Sue

Grammy is the world's highest standard music hall.

It's like the Oscars are to movies.

But to Twain, Grammy is just a show, or in other words, a grand concert!

He's at the Grammys for the second year in a row, mainly because little Taylor likes to join in the fun, and she has a great passion for music.

This time, Tang En's identity was quite different from the last time.

Last time, he was just a visitor.

This time, he's a Grammy nominee for Song of the Year!

This year's hottest, highest-demand, and highest-selling single album "Song of Marvel", also known as "Something_Just_Like_This", was nominated for this Grammy no surprise.

Tang En didn't expect to win an award either.

It was the first song he released publicly, and the only one.

If this easily won the Grammy's most important annual best single award, the Grammy's style is too low, too embarrassing.

In fact, it is true.

The 23-year-old female singer Norah Jones became the biggest winner of this year's Grammy, including eight awards including the best record of the year, the best album of the year, the best single of the year, and the best newcomer of the year in one fell swoop!

In addition, this year's Grammys, another highlight is the debut performance of the best female rock singer winner Shirley Crow, who publicly expressed a strong voice against the war.

Now, the domestic situation in the United States has become tense again.

Like the time after the 9/11 attacks.

The federal government is sparing no effort to criticize the Iraqi government, accusing the other side of having weapons of mass destruction, attempting to bypass the United Nations, and continuing to fight unilaterally under the guise of self-defense counterattack.

The smoke of war seems to have spread across the country.

...

Little Taylor was bitter about Tang En's failure to win the award, and was unhappy for several days.

Tang En didn't care.

And she's in a good mood because Comcast is coming to make peace!

At the beginning, STA TV Network signed a three-year exclusive operation right with Comcast, and it seems that there are still two months before the contract expires.

With the development of these years, STA TV Network has firmly locked in the throne of the largest professional cable TV network in North America, with 14.08 million subscribers!

Last year, subscription fees alone totaled $1.35 billion.

Comcast earned $110 million through an 8% exclusivity cut.

In any case, no one has trouble with money!

During the recent period, New Universal and Viacom were engaged in battles in film, television and other fields. Comcast did not participate in it, because it did not want to offend Dunn during this period of time.

The current TV operation field is not like the past two years, when the Comcast family dominates.

With Time Warner's economic difficulties, Warner Cable began to seek greater profit output when operating TV, instead of repelling competitors as before-suppressing Disney and blocking STA.

Not only that, News Corporation has also begun to deploy TV operations. Murdoch is currently negotiating with Hughes Electronics, intending to buy control of DirecTV.

The traditional operators Verizon, AT&T and Sprint have also increased their investment in cable TV operations.

Competition will bring about changes in the industry.

With the rise of Comcast, the entire United States has seen the huge profits of cable TV operations, and major manufacturers have stepped in to compete.

There is no doubt that the cable TV operation industry will face a new round of reshuffle.

Even in order to compete for users, it will promote the further development of technology! (The process of changing from narrowband to broadband is also indirectly affected by this. In order to seek higher-definition rebroadcast channels, cable TV borrowed fiber optic signal transmission technology and laid more fiber optic pipes to promote network speed.)

Two years ago, under the competition of HBO under Time Warner, STA had to rely on the power of Comcast if it wanted to survive and develop.

Now, the market environment has changed.

The STA TV network has successfully become the industry leader, with full confidence and high income. Operators across the United States will definitely compete for this big customer.

It is also impossible for Warner Cable to resist the operation of STA for HBO, and maybe it will also participate in vying for the right to operate STA.

Two years ago, STA left Comcast and couldn't survive.

Now, even if STA blocks Comcast, under the promotion of many cable operators, it can still survive with gusto!

ESPN is Disney's trump card, MTV is Viacom's trump card.

STA was placed high hopes by Twain to become the trump card of New Universal!

In terms of volume, the number of users of STA is still far behind ESPN and MTV, but its role has gradually emerged.

Just more than 14 million users are enough to make Comcast bow its head!

If the number of STA users exceeds 20 million, 30 million, or 40 million, what level will it be?

At that time, even if New Universal fails to take down NBC Group, it will still be enough to occupy a place in the TV field!

Time Warner does not have any large-scale public TV network, and it is not relying on the three pillars of TBS, CNN, and HBO to make a name for itself in the TV field?

"Twain, are you going to Roberts' family dinner this weekend?"

Barry Diller is in charge of this negotiation with Comcast.

He has the qualifications.

The STA TV network that year was created under the supervision of Barry Diller.

"Family banquet? Not interested!"

Tang En waved his hand, not paying attention.

A few years ago, Brian Roberts could not do without Comcast relying on STA, and made a big show in front of Twain.

That shelf is almost on par with Lei Shidong.

This time it was Tang En's turn to turn against the customer, so he would not give face to the other party.

Barry Diller said: "In any case, Comcast still has unshakable strength in cable TV operations. If it is not necessary, there is no need to offend too deeply."

Tang En nodded and said: "I know, that's why I will accept the negotiation with Comcast. Otherwise, I will just get a ban! Disney has been banned, and Viacom has also been banned, so I am not afraid of one more Comcast!"

"This is an angry statement!" Barry Diller couldn't laugh or cry, shaking his head frequently. "In this matter, we still have to give Comcast a little sweetness. Let them remain neutral in the competition between New Universal and Viacom."

Tang En pondered for a while, and said: "Unless Comcast can provide us with great benefits, otherwise, we will cancel the exclusive operation right and let more operators participate. With competition, users' services will be better." Better yet, we have fewer constraints."

For the STA TV network, the commission rate of the exclusive operator is relatively low, about 7%-8%.

If multiple operators operate together, the commission rate will be relatively high, a bit like a movie distributor, which needs to draw about 10% of the operating expenses from the total revenue.

From the perspective of saving expenses, it is more in the interests of New Global to authorize exclusive operations.

However, this difference in operating expenses has little impact on New Global.

Without Comcast's exclusive constraints, STA may have more room for growth!

Since the broadcast of "Band of Brothers" ended and STA successfully became the largest professional cable TV network in the United States, Comcast's work has been somewhat slack.

That was asking Tang En for a bargaining chip!

This kind of thing cannot happen again in the future.

Barry Diller agreed with Tang En's statement, nodded, and then looked at him hesitantly, "You really don't want to go to the family dinner on the weekend? Old Roberts also sent an invitation letter!"

"Don't go!" Tang En waved his hands, very resolute, "I have more important things to do!"

"What's more important?"

"I'm going to experience life."

"Experience life?"

"That's right."

"How do you experience it?"

"I want to be a policeman!"

Barry Diller slapped his forehead and almost fainted.

This big boss is really not doing his job properly...

Uh, leisurely and elegant!