Chapter 479: Competition and Cooperation

[Chapter 542: Competition and Cooperation]

In Sydney at the Rose Bay Resort, Arthur lay on top of Cate Blanchett, their fingers intertwined!

"Well," after an unknown amount of time, Cate Blanchett held the man tightly in her arms, "Wait, let's wait a bit longer before getting up."

Arthur smiled, gave her a few kisses, and then rubbed his hand on her chest. "What's wrong, having a hard time letting go?"

"It feels so good," Cate Blanchett said, her cheeks flushed, looking utterly satisfied!

Arthur rolled off her. "Alright, let's sleep for now."

...

Meanwhile, Hollywood was not exactly peaceful. The smoke had barely cleared from the Michael Jackson scandal, and now Woody Allen was embroiled in his own lewdness and scandalous affairs.

Directed by Woody Allen and released by Miramax, Everyone Says I Love You grossed $26 million and received positive reviews. For Miramax, it was a rare success in recent years.

However, since Miramax belonged to Disney, and Michael Eisner, who always prioritized Disney's reputation, the scandal surrounding Woody Allen adversely affected Disney's brand, especially with allegations involving minors!

Disney's chairman, Joe Roth, quickly received orders from Michael Eisner to kick the Weinstein brothers out of Disney.

In the two years since Disney acquired Miramax, the studio's financial standing continued to decline. Disney's goal of achieving success in the arts was unrealized, while Miramax's debt soared to $100 million.

At the same time, Disney had completed its acquisition of ABC, with former Capital Cities/ABC chairman Tom Murphy joining Disney's board. ABC's management was handed over to former COO Robert Iger, bypassing president Michael Ovitz to report directly to Michael Eisner.

...

In New York, Manhattan, at the News Building,

Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes sat on the office sofa discussing the launch of Fox News Channel.

"We need to attract conservative viewers; news can be manufactured," Rupert Murdoch did not oppose Roger Ailes' ideas. FNC was currently the most prominent project under the FOX network, while the importance of FSN was lacking in comparison.

"Don't underestimate MSNBC. You managed the CNBC channel before, so you should be aware of how much NBC values its news channels," Rupert Murdoch had, with Barry Diller's help, built FOX into America's fourth-largest broadcasting network. Now, with Roger Ailes' assistance, he aimed to create FNC to rival CNN.

Roger Ailes chuckled, "Now, we just have to see what ABC and CBS think. Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell joined the Disney board last year, and Galaxy has maintained close ties with the White House. The relationships between the Big Three networks and Washington are something else; FOX needs to strengthen its presence in Washington!"

Rupert Murdoch nodded, "That's a must."

Back then, Rupert Murdoch obtained U.S. citizenship to establish the FOX network.

"Galaxy is now Hollywood's largest non-Jewish entity. Arthur Smith, while a staunch Democrat, has an unusual relationship with the Republican party. Especially within California, Arthur Smith has had his share of conflicts with the Jewish influence in the Democratic party!"

Roger Ailes, being a Republican, stated, "Our relationship with Galaxy involves both competition and cooperation. Currently, when it comes to influence over Governor Pete Wilson, none of us can match Arthur, but it's all about capital these days, shared interests. In many aspects, our goals align with Galaxy."

FOX certainly played a significant role in Willie Brown's political downfall, and Arthur's management of CBS remained neutral. However, given that CBS's current owner was Galaxy, otherwise they would have undoubtedly supported Willie Brown.

Rupert Murdoch shrugged with a smile, "Who would have thought that a kid in his twenties could build the world's third-largest media group in just six or seven years?"

Now, Galaxy was about to go public, with an estimated value just behind Time Warner and Disney, ahead of Viacom and News Corporation!

"This IPO of Galaxy has attracted countless investors from Wall Street," Roger Ailes was amazed; Arthur Smith's rise had been too swift.

...

In Sydney, at Bondi Beach, the waves repeatedly washed ashore, and under the summer sun, Arthur and Cate Blanchett laid on the beach, basking in the sun!

"Have you been to Sydney before, Arthur?" Cate Blanchett propped her head on her hand, touching Arthur's chest.

"Yeah, I came once a few years ago," Arthur remembered it was with Nicole Kidman, and they ended up bringing Naomi Watts to Hollywood.

"It's winter in America, and Australia is perfect for Americans to vacation," Cate Blanchett said, kissing Arthur, "You should come often!"

Arthur grinned and pulled Cate Blanchett into his arms. "When I get back, I'll see if there's a role for you. Let's get you into Hollywood!"

Cate Blanchett nodded, "That film from United Artists, Leaving Las Vegas, just premiered in Australia and New Zealand. It seems to have good reviews -- want to check it out together?"

"Sure, it's an artsy film, and the actor's performance is commendable," Leaving Las Vegas earned Nicolas Cage the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama. In the U.S., it also grossed $18 million, and it would likely gain more during the Oscars second screenings.

That evening, Arthur and Cate Blanchett found a small theater showing Leaving Las Vegas, with just about a fifth of the seats occupied.

"Guess it's not commercial enough," Arthur remarked as he held Cate Blanchett.

"Artsy films are like this," Cate Blanchett kissed Arthur, "But the male lead really performed well, portraying confusion, despair, and downfall so vividly!"

Arthur nodded while staring at the screen and slipped his hand inside Cate Blanchett's clothing, feeling her softness.

"Yeah, Arthur," Cate Blanchett tightened her hold around him and began to unzip his fly.

"Whoa," as Cate Blanchett leaned down into his embrace, Arthur could not help but run his fingers through her long, golden hair!

Leaning back in his seat, Arthur marveled, "This is truly a great movie."

Before the film concluded, Arthur and Cate Blanchett hurried back to their hotel!

*****

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