...

Tang Huan's appearance on the board of directors of Time Warner Turner can only be described as "rare guest".

After the marriage between Turner Broadcasting and Time Warner, he received two seats on the board, one of which was kept by Ted Turner himself, and the other was to the richest man who provided long-term support.

Compared to Ted Turner who has been protecting his own acre of three-point land in Time Warner Turner in recent years, Tang Huan is like an "invisible man" who has a meeting, either a telephone connection or a representative is entrustment to come. It can be said that the dragon has no end to see the head.

However, this "absent-minded" manifestation is not surprising on the Time Warner Turner board of directors. After all, several people are also "using multiple things in one's mind".

"Old-common" Murf Edelson first greeted: "Don, has the box office of the Titanic movie exceeded $2 billion?"

"It should be no big problem." The richest man nodded slightly, then asked Beverly Sears Glinav casually, "Ms., is the preparation for the renovation plan of the Lincoln Performing Arts Center going smoothly?"

"The construction can start as scheduled next year." Beverly Sears Glinav replied with a smile, "Thank you for your help."

"I'm very willing to serve." Tang Huan made some polite decisions and instead talked to Cara Hayes about his business in China.

Of course, no matter how charming the richest man is, he cannot take over all Robben Mark, who is often ridiculed by Ted Turner, and he laughed at the house and the Udi and said, "Tang, why do you have time to come in person today? Could it be that the antitrust lawsuit of Zheru Software Company 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 retain any paper materials, and the documents are piled up like a mountain, and I have been squeezed out of nowhere to sit, so I have to come here."

Everyone was amused by the humor and exaggeration of the richest man, and Robben Mark also embarrassedly put away his pursuit and fierce attack.

Beverly Sears Glinav asked curiously: "Is it serious for a company to not allow paper shredders in daily offices?"

"Maybe, it varies from company to company." Tang Huan joked: "You might as well let Time Warner Turner do an experiment now."

...

It was almost two o'clock in the afternoon, and all members of the Time Warner Turner board took their place, and the meeting officially began.

Gerald Levine, who appeared first, performed cleverly based on his experience accumulated from his previous rehearsals.

Seeing that the old rival said a lot of buzzing opening remarks enthusiastically, Robben Mark finally couldn't bear it and interrupted rudely: "After talking for a long time, what do you mean by selling Time Warner Turner, which has a history of more than 70 years, to the United States Online, which has been established for only more than ten years? Why are you doing this?"

Gerald Levine, who was performing better, was so angry that she couldn't speak on the spot and couldn't speak.

Robben Mark, who succeeded in the raid, suddenly became proud and turned his eyes to the richest man. He continued to say: "Dang, I know you are an important investor in American Online. Can you tell me the real reason for this deal?"

Tang Huan faced Robben Mark's aggressive gaze without a trace of fireworks and spoke slowly: "Henry Luce, the founder of the times, once said a famous saying that the 20th century is the American century; I can now tell you that the next century is the Internet century!"

Although everyone is a big shot, Robben Mark, who has a strong aura, takes his eyes back and mutters in disappointment: "You are a veteran in computer and Internet business, of course you have to vigorously advocate their value."

"Of course my point of view is just one word..." Tang Huan made a "continue" gesture to Gerald Levine, "So, you have to ask investment bankers to do professional analysis."

After cursing Robben Mark in his heart, he was a "bastard who bullies the weak and is afraid of the strong", Gerald Levine stopped talking and directly moved out of the "fair opinion" of Wall Street Investment Bank.

The labor fee of $50 million per company is indeed extraordinary. The very hard-working Solomon Brothers and Morgan Stanley fooled all the directors' faces to change.

Among them, Mary Mickel, a famous network analyst from Morgan Stanley, performed the most excitingly.

She vividly depicts the bright future of the merger of Time Warner Turner and American Online, and makes fun of the financial rules that still value assets in the future world, and ends with extremely sensational words: "Henry Luce and Steve Keyes were born separately, but after a series of hardships, failures and setbacks, Steve Keyes and Henry Luce still recognize each other through the marks on their seal rings, or other things."

After Mary Mickel finished her speech with an interesting and revelational meaning, Paul Tomberman, a merger and acquisition banker of Morgan Stanley Media and Telecommunications Department, also began a passionate speech.

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

The meeting started from 2 pm to 7 pm, and it still didn't mean that it would end. Among the more than a dozen directors present, except for the young and prosperous people who were 40 pm, Tang Huan was basically an aged person who was about 60 years old and even older, and was even older, and was so tired that he was "fatigue bombarded".

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 is not too big a secret for everyone present. The convening time was later than Time Warner Turner, but it took only two hours to end one earlier, and the vote of the American Online Board of Directors had already come up with the result of the agreement with the deal.

Compared with Time Warner Turner's stumbling blocks, the decision process of the United States Online can only be described as smooth.

Of course, there are some doubts.

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

In his words, "What I don't understand is why you chose Time Warner Turner? This is the most expensive company, and they got the highest multiples in my opinion, buying American Online is expensive!"

Hearing such a description from the speakers of the phone, Gerald Levine and Robben Mark, two enemies, spewed out the coffee they had just drunk.

"What, there are actually oppositions on the board of directors of AOL?"

"What kind of miser is this? How can I feel that Time Warner Turner is expensive?"

...

After the meeting process resumed, the directors' spirit of debate was obviously much weaker. Not long after, they agreed to vote quickly and come up with the results. They were so tired that they couldn't stand it!

When Gerald Levin saw that the board of directors that had been quarrels before, without exception, did not oppose the deal between Time Warner Turner and American Online, he was surprised and was very happy.

Unexpectedly, when the richest man saw everyone voting weakly, he was very dissatisfied and even suggested: "Don't you think we should hold a passionate vote?"

"This is a historic moment. The growth rate of Warner Turner in the United States Online Times will be like the Internet."

"Come on, let's show our passion and vote for the second time."

Seeing Tang Huan calling on everyone to have a passionate vote again, Gerald Levine, who was happy in his heart, almost cried and finally got a "unanimous pass" result. Can you not cause trouble? What if some people think about it and cause an accident in the voting?

Looking around the richest man, the directors present, raised his hand and said passionately: "The growth rate of new companies in the future will be like the Internet."

"The growth rate will be like the Internet!" Everyone seemed to be hypnotized, burst into a consistent voice, and raised their hands in unison.

Seeing that the richest man successfully guided all the directors to repeat a vote in a "satisfied and convinced" way, the stone in Gerald Levin's heart finally fell to the ground.

At the same time, Gerald Levin couldn't help but secretly frightened Tang Huan, who didn't show up on the board of directors, had such appeal. What if he entered the market in person to fight for power? It must be more difficult 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, when he thought about it, he felt relieved of the antitrust lawsuit faced by Zheru Software Company. It was very difficult. As strong as the richest man, he could not distract himself easily. His opponent was Steve Case.

...

Although American Online and Time Warner Turner took various measures to block the news according to Tang Huan's suggestion, information about the merger and acquisition between the two companies was inevitably leaked.

I have to say that this is the credit for the "informer" developed by the media.

Think about the White House where Tlangpu moved into the original space and time 20 years later, and news about various controversial decisions kept leaking out early, we can know what a powerful combination of the media and the "informer".

The merger of AOL and Time Warner Turner cannot escape this omnipresent tracking capability.

Just the night after the most time-consuming and laborious Time Warner Turner board vote ended, Peter Gabel, president of the Los Angeles branch of the Wall Street Journal, was awakened by a phone call at home.

The other party is one of his most well-informed news providers in Hollywood, and he said in a hurry, straight to the point: "Peter, I have a big scoop for you tomorrow morning, Time Warner Turner and A.N.com, to announce a deal."

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

The informant replied without any delay: "Although both parties say it is a merger, it is actually an acquisition."

"What?" Peter Gabel asked in surprise, "Really? Who is going to buy whom?"

This informant who is very good at protecting himself asked very well, "Who has the best currency?"

...

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

He has been in charge of the Wall Street Journal's report on Hollywood since 1996. He is an old partner with this informant, so he naturally believes in the other party.

But the levels of information that everyone can access are different, and there are deviations in it.

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

Is AOL actually going to buy Time Warner Turner?

If this is true, it will be the biggest scoop of your career.

Thinking of this, Peter Gabel immediately called every Wall Street Journal reporter who was responsible for reporting on A. Online or Time Warner Turner.

Peter Gabel's colleagues, including the East Coast of the United States, were almost awakened from their dreams.

Peter Gabel didn't care about these things, but kept urging, "Now call all your informants as soon as possible, I want to know if this news is true!"

...

Kayla Sweshell has been in charge of the Wall Street Journal's coverage of Silicon Valley, and in 1997, wrote a book about the rapid growth of American Online.

After receiving the instructions, she immediately put down the phone, turned on the computer, dialed up to surf the Internet, and started the instant messaging software iq acquired by American Online. She only saw the "Friends Bar" showing that there were dozens of American Online informants, who were all online late at night.

Kayla Sweshell was keenly aware that something major happened!

So she began to send messages to people online to confirm whether the rumors were true, but the other party immediately went offline and avoided the questioning.

It has to be said that this is the discipline of American Online, and the gap is still opened by Time Warner Turner.

...

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

After receiving the instructions, he also contacted his informant crazily, but his method changed from iQ to Datang Mobile Communications Company's mobile phone.

Finally, the credit for confirming the news fell on Martin Pias' head, a senior Time Warner Turner public relations official who was still in a meeting at 3 a.m., answered his call.

Martin Pias, who almost fainted, quickly asked: "We just heard that A.S. Online is going to buy Time Warner Turner, can you confirm it?"

"Yes, this is true, but don't say it, it was me." After the other party answered, he quickly hung up the phone.

...

Peter Gabel, who summed up the news, called the night shift editor of the Wall Street Journal's parent company Dow Jones News Agency, excitedly, "I have a big scoop to tell you! Listen, it will catch you off guard, but it is by no means a prank for April Fool's Day, nor a scam! Because, we have been confirmed through multiple channels."
Chapter completed!