Chapter 148: Rise of TV and fall of print media

Chapter 148: Rise of TV and fall of print media

(3rd Person POV)

Television's unstoppable rise in Horn Kingdom left media moguls like Ryder Cage deeply unsettled.

As Horns Times owner, Ryder called an emergency meeting with his editorial board. The newspaper executives shifted nervously in their seats.

"Boss, revenue is plummeting. Other publishers report similar problems - advertising clients are jumping ship, and subscription numbers keep dropping," the editor-in-chief reported grimly.

Ryder's teeth clenched. "Has our negative coverage of television made any impact?"

Silence fell as the editor-in-chief shook his head.

Their discussion halted when a panicked employee burst into the conference room.

"Can't you see we're in a meeting?!" Ryder snapped, his recent stress showing.

The employee bowed apologetically, words tumbling out. "Forgive me, Boss Ryder, but... Hellfire channel just launched their own news segment!"

"What?!" The room erupted in shock.

"Yes sir! They're calling it 'Hellfire News at Noon,' and commercials announce 'Hellfire News at Evening' starting soon!"

Ryder and his team rushed to the lobby, where their recently purchased TV showed "Hellfire News" in progress. A poised succubus demon faced the camera.

"Good afternoon, I'm Alissa Dark, welcoming you to Hellfire News, bringing the kingdom's stories directly to your home."

The broadcast cut seamlessly from studio to field coverage, showing their reporter at the scene of a high-profile drug lord assassination.

Watching the polished news broadcast, Ryder attempted bravado. "Don't worry, people will still trust our printed news over television reports!"

But his words rang hollow as they witnessed television's powerful new threat to print media.

***

Many had hesitated to purchase TVs, questioning their value despite the price. But when word spread that Hellfire channel offered free news broadcasts direct to homes, resistance crumbled and sales surged.

People also noticed newspapers' sudden silence about television. These publications, once vocal critics of TV and Hellfire channel, now seemed to avoid the topic entirely.

Behind the scenes, media moguls had realized their criticism only provided free publicity for television. They'd ceased their negative coverage, but the damage was done.

The moguls' belated epiphany came too late - their earlier criticism had already helped promote TV and Hellfire channel. Now, "Hellfire News" marked the beginning of newspapers' obsolescence.

Even before launching their news segment, Hellfire's telenovelas had wounded print media. Hellfire News was the final nail in the coffin.

Viewers quickly discovered television news offered more comprehensive coverage than newspapers.

Even those without TVs gained access to Hellfire channel through public spaces. Taverns, bars, and restaurants like Lamb's Blood installed large TV, drawing crowds to watch while dining or drinking.

These establishments found their TVs attracted new customers while keeping existing ones lingering longer. The device that media moguls had once mocked had become a powerful tool for business growth.

***

As 1273 dawned, "Hellfire Got Talent" launched its auditions, drawing hundreds of hopeful demons, elves, and dwarves.

Arthur had strategically recruited aging, once-popular Horn and Morningstar singers as judges, giving these veterans new relevance while lending the show credibility.

Television ownership had exploded to 780,000 households across Horn Kingdom.

Though this represented only a fraction of the kingdom's millions, achieving such penetration in mere weeks signaled a cultural transformation.

Hellfire channel's programming continued driving TV sales upward, reshaping Horn Kingdom's entertainment landscape.

January 3, 1273 marked television's expansion as color and more affordable black-and-white sets launched across Morningstar, Thorn, Japon, and Choson.

Empirica, already familiar with black-and-white TV, buzzed with anticipation for color sets.

Arthur acquired broadcast frequencies there, though Empirica's stricter media regulations posed challenges unlike Horn Kingdom's open market. Despite some bureaucratic delays, he secured broadcasting rights. His channel would launch soon, albeit with delayed telenovela episodes.

Existing channels in Empirica had struggled until recently. Now, adopting Arthur's commercial break model, they found new life as TV's popularity surged, sparked by Horn Kingdom's success.

Arthur had already secured broadcast frequencies across Morningstar, Thorn, Japon, and Choson - their proximity to Horn Kingdom simplifying the expansion.

His success brought both financial rewards and entertainment points. Though he'd accumulated 80 million EP, he noticed telenovelas generated fewer points than films.

Yet television's triumph overshadowed this minor concern. Sponsors overwhelmed his telenovelas with offers, forcing him to turn many away.

The channel generated 10 million dollars from sponsorships, commercial slots, and production services featuring Hellfire talent.

While not matching his film revenues, these earnings proved remarkable for a weeks-old channel.

Hellfire channel's future would extend beyond telenovelas into anime and cartoons. Though eventually requiring separate channels, Arthur planned to initially test these formats alongside telenovelas.

Channel segregation could wait. His immediate focus was "Hellfire Animation Studio," newly approved for operation.

This opening allowed him to expand his artist recruitment, particularly eyeing Japon and Empirica's talent pools.

Empirica's established animation industry offered experienced artists ripe for poaching, while Japon's smaller but promising studios showed unique potential.

Despite Japon initially copying Empirica's style, both nations had developed distinct animation aesthetics.

[Hidden Quest Completed: You have successfully established your own TV channel!]

[Reward: Ancient Tree.]

Arthur blinked at the unexpected notification. "A reward for establishing the channel?"

"What exactly is this 'Ancient Tree'?" he muttered, examining the reward details.

"What use could I possibly have for a tree..."