RPAGF Chapter 16 Paparazzi are more like toilets
Chapter 16 Paparazzi are more like toilets
Are paparazzi and celebrities enemies? Yes and no.
To be fair, paparazzi are more like toilets; they're comfortable to sit on when you need them, but dirty and smelly when you don't.
To be precise, young actors are more eager to work with paparazzi, proactively revealing information to gain fame and recognition.
After becoming famous, big stars hate paparazzi to the core and no longer want them to expose their privacy in any way.
To put it simply, once a monkey becomes a human, it no longer acknowledges or feels angry about having been a monkey in the past.
It's understandable that anyone from a humble background who rises to the top through trickery or dirty tricks will try their best to erase the fact that they were once a monkey.
Before this, monkeys and paparazzi were the closest of friends, which is why paparazzi are so difficult to eradicate and the key to the existence of this unconventional type of journalist.
Returning to film studios or television stations, they also have a love-hate relationship with paparazzi.
They want paparazzi to report on unknown actors to save on the cost of promoting them, but they also don't want paparazzi to expose the privacy of established stars and affect their interests. It's quite a contradiction.
For paparazzi or newspapers, exposing big stars is certainly more profitable than reporting on minor actors.
But the privacy of big stars is ultimately limited to a minority, while reports about minor actors keep popping up like weeds in a field.
When there is a lack of information about big stars, newspapers need to report on minor actors to fill the gap.
Thus, a fundamental entanglement of interests arises between newspapers and institutions, and between paparazzi and celebrities. The two sides have a love-hate relationship that is irreconcilable yet they cooperate closely.
Chen Guanjiang deliberately misled Fang Yihua by exploiting information asymmetry, blurring the distinction between "celebrity" and "actor" without explicitly stating the difference between "celebrity economics" and "celebrity commodity theory".
While shielding himself from responsibility, he also hoped to cooperate with them. This is the fundamental reason why Chen Guanjiang attached so much importance to this meeting and acted so humbly.
"Is everything you said true?" Fang Yihua felt something was off but couldn't quite put her finger on it, so she asked hesitantly.
"Of course, I swear by the lamppost, you're a zebra! Hong Kong people don't lie to Hong Kong people!" Chan Kwun-kong said righteously.
With the rapid development of Yin Xun Media, the infiltration of gossip organizations will become increasingly deep, and by the time they fully understand this model, it will be too late.
"I'm not from Hong Kong, I'm from Singapore."
Fang Yihua paused, as if explaining, "My ancestral home is in Shanghai."
"Then we're from the same hometown!"
Chen Guanjiang said excitedly, "My ancestral home is Yancheng, Jiangsu. Please take care of my fellow townsman."
"Um!"
Fang Yihua nodded, indicating her agreement with this statement.
Hong Kong's Chinese community is mainly composed of two regional groups: Cantonese and Jiangsu-Zhejiang. Shao Yifu was from Zhejiang in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region, and Fang Yihua was from Jiangsu in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region.
If we further divide them, Shao Yifu belongs to Ningbo, Zhejiang, while Fang Yihua belongs to Shanghai, Jiangsu.
From large groups belonging to the same Chinese community to specific villages.
From the family unit to the nation as a whole.
Sticking together for warmth and resisting external enemies is human nature, but it can also lead to increasingly detailed divisions due to conflicts of interest.
Of course, place of origin is just a pretext. Ultimately, what leads both parties to reconcile is only their interests, and more importantly, whether they have the ability to harm others.
Fang Yihua's expression softened as he said, "Sixth Brother said you know what's important and what's not, so I suppose you also know what can be reported and what can't be said."
"Since you're from our hometown, I won't make things difficult for you. I'll have Shaw Brothers actors cooperate with you in reporting your private affairs. If it goes well, I can introduce you to Brother Six, who reports on TVB actors."
Although Fang Yihua couldn't understand Chen Guanjiang's veiled expression, it didn't stop her from thinking that this model had great potential.
Even if it fails, there's not much to lose; it's just a little bit of privacy for the young actors.
More importantly, he felt a great sense of accomplishment in taming the dog that originally belonged to Zou Wenhuai.
"Really?
Overwhelmed with excitement, Chen Guanjiang exclaimed, "How dare a fool like me get to know Uncle Liu?"
Shao Yifu was the sixth son in his family, and in old Shanghai he was called "Shao Lao Liu". After making a fortune in Southeast Asia, he developed his business in Hong Kong and became known as "Boss Liu" among his peers and "Uncle Liu" by his juniors.
He is not only the vice chairman of TVB, but also skilled in business operations. With his enormous influence, he has become a "media tycoon" and can be considered a prominent figure in Hong Kong.
Newspapers, or print media, are at the very end of the media spectrum, while television stations, or video media, symbolize the highest authority in the media of today.
The Hong Kong Daily News does not have its own news channels and only purchases official mass news reports from the Hong Kong Newspaper Association and the Hong Kong Journalists Association, thus failing to enter the mainstream news field.
Therefore, the "Wang Dog Daily" had to find another way to survive by publishing news about dogs.
After being acquired by Chen Guanjiang, "Wang Dog Daily" retained its dog-related content while publishing gossip news, which was ultimately a crooked approach rather than the right one.
The reason why the Ma family's Oriental Daily News, which was founded in 69, reached a daily circulation of 70 copies in 8, and has now surpassed Ming Pao is that it has surpassed it.
Besides spending lavishly on horse racing and publishing family-branded products, they also received support from TVB, which allowed them to access mainstream news that other newspapers couldn't obtain.
By collaborating with television stations in other countries, television stations can achieve real-time sharing of news information. Ultimately, the information access capabilities of television media and print media are not on the same level.
Being able to gain the appreciation of Uncle Six and having the backing of the entire TVB gives them an absolute advantage in the media industry.
"Want to become a disciple of the Shaw Brothers? You'll need to know the Dog-Beating Stick Technique first!"
When Shao Yifu is mentioned, Fang Yihua seems very proud. The mother and daughter have carried on the dance troupe business for two generations from Shanghai to Singapore. At thirty-five, their youth has passed away.
When she was old and past her prime, she was brought to Hong Kong and rotated through all the departments in two years. She successfully dominated Shaw Brothers and gained fame, fortune and social status. Of course, Fong Yat-wah was extremely grateful to and admired Shaw Yi-fu.
Perhaps it was because of those adoring eyes that Shaw Brothers brought Fang Yihua to Hong Kong and resolutely handed over the reins of Shaw Brothers Studio to her despite his family's objections.
After all, what man wouldn't want to be admired by his woman? Especially after being looked down upon by his first wife for almost half his life.
"Don't worry, Sixth Young Mistress! I like the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, every move of which showcases the Longxi bloodline." Chen Guanjiang flattered her while trying to build rapport.
"What do you mean, 'young lady'? Don't call me that."
Although Fang Yihua's words were reprimanding, the smile on her face betrayed her true feelings; marrying Shao Yifu as a concubine was her dream come true.
However, their union was opposed by the entire Shaw family, including the two powerful figures behind Shaw Yifu. Their path to marriage was long and arduous.
Fang Yihua is only thirty-eight years old this year, while Shao Yifu is already sixty-five years old. Although he is in good health, it is unknown how much longer he can live. Time waits for no one.
However, Fang Yihua, caught between smugness and melancholy, failed to notice the hidden mockery in Chen Guanjiang's eyes as he looked at her with his head bowed in submission…