"Of course, for those three networks, the reason they're so fixated on the ratings rankings is mainly because the six major networks have dominated the market for so long. If it were stations like Squirrel TV, Aurora TV, or Chenghai TV pulling ahead this quarter, Xingtong TV and the others wouldn't care much. After all, it wouldn't really shift investor expectations. But if YunTeng's ratings actually manage to push Xingtong TV and the other two out of the top three, then their stock prices and everything else would definitely take a hit."
Jing Yu looked at Cheng Lie.
"That's why they've moved some of their mid-tier but still strong shows into the same time slot as our 'Hikaru no Go'," Jing Yu said.
"Exactly. Remember a few years ago, YunTeng's extreme sports drama went viral, and it caused the stock prices of Xingtong TV, Imperial Capital TV, and Huanshi TV to drop. So this time, they're preparing in advance." Cheng Lie sighed.
"How many shows did the top three shift around? What's the situation like?" Jing Yu asked.
"Only three shows in total. But each one's been pulling over 2.7% in ratings. They're all comfortably sitting in the top 20 this quarter. And they're the kind of urban romance and workplace dramas that usually do well. The three networks really are going all in."
Jing Yu was silent for a moment before speaking.
"Do you think these three shows will have a big impact on 'Hikaru no Go''s ratings?"
"Not necessarily. In a direct time-slot battle, 'Hikaru no Go' definitely has the edge. I'd estimate the overall impact would be within 1%. But…" Cheng Lie trailed off.
But for Jing Yu—who was aiming to surpass the top three's flagship shows in ratings—that 1% mattered a lot.
"So what about us? Do we have any countermeasures? For example, what if we move 'Hikaru no Go' to the same time slot as 'Fireworks', 'Deadly Gambler', or 'Endblade'? I mean, if we're going to be dragged into a suicidal ratings war, why not drag their top shows down with us and take the initiative?"
Jing Yu made the suggestion tentatively.
He'd always been the kind to prefer steady progress. But the top three networks had been so aggressive that he was now considering mutually assured destruction.
After all, for a classic like 'Hikaru no Go', even if its ratings underperformed this quarter, word-of-mouth would eventually bring in loyal viewers through DVDs or other platforms. Unlike mediocre dramas that disappear once their ratings flop, 'Hikaru no Go' had lasting power.
"That absolutely won't fly. The station would never agree," Cheng Lie said, alarmed.
"If 'Hikaru no Go' goes up against these current shows, it might take a 1% hit. But if it goes head-to-head with the flagship dramas of the top three, then who knows what could happen?"
To put it bluntly, even if 'Hikaru no Go' drops to 4%, it would still be a huge hit for YunTeng. But if it drops to the 3% range after clashing with the top shows—even if it drags those shows from 5% or 6% down to 4%—what's the point? YunTeng would be the bigger loser. The top three always have shows above 5% every quarter. But for YunTeng, a show like 'Hikaru no Go' only comes along once every few years.
"Besides, doing that could easily piss off the audience," Cheng Lie added.
Jing Yu thought of the infamous "3Q War" in his previous life, when users were forced to choose between two services, and both sides ended up being cursed by the public.
"But... we're just going to sit here and take it?" Jing Yu frowned.
"Well…" Cheng Lie's eyes flared with frustration, but he quickly calmed down and sighed.
"I hate it too. But there's really not much we can do. The top three are miles ahead of YunTeng. Most of the tactics we have are pretty meaningless against them."
This kind of situation was just normal business competition. If YunTeng were in their shoes, they wouldn't hold back either. So there was nothing to morally condemn here—it just sucked being on the losing end.
"There's only a month left in the spring season. If they're already targeting 'Hikaru no Go' Season 1 this hard… what about Season 2?" Jing Yu looked at Cheng Lie.
"Shouldn't be likely. Even their mid-tier shows still cost real money to produce. Going head-to-head with 'Hikaru no Go' over and over would be self-destructive," Cheng Lie said, but halfway through his sentence, he stopped.
He realized something: for the big six, sure, this kind of tactic costs them. But if YunTeng really rises, it'll cost them even more.
If the long-standing balance of power in the TV industry is broken, or if their stock prices become unstable, that's a huge loss.
'Hikaru no Go' has only aired for eight weeks, and it's already close to breaking into the top three for the quarter. If it gets a second season—what then?
They were already willing to sacrifice now to suppress 'Hikaru no Go''s momentum. Next season, it would be even worse. Not just the top three—even Chenghai TV, Squirrel TV, and Aurora TV would likely pile on.
Because in this quarter, those three had already been thoroughly embarrassed by 'Hikaru no Go'.
The two of them sat in silence for several minutes.
"You know, sitting here and doing nothing just isn't my style. Whether the big six will come after 'Hikaru no Go' next season or not, we have to assume they will. And if that's our baseline, then doing nothing is just too frustrating," Jing Yu said.
"So, Teacher Jing, what are you suggesting?"
"I prefer fair competition. But if others want to play dirty, then they can't blame us for hitting back. Why don't we have our own station produce some shows and air them during the time slots of the top three's flagship dramas next season? Let's mess with their ratings too. Eye for an eye."
"Teacher Jing… you…" Cheng Lie looked at him with a strange expression.
The top three mid-tier shows already outperform YunTeng's top shows in ratings. That's why even their B-tier content can hurt 'Hikaru no Go' by airing in the same slot.
But YunTeng is competing with the top three's flagship dramas? How do you fight for ratings like that?
Any viewer with half a brain would choose the top three's big-budget drama over YunTeng's second-stringers if they're airing at the same time.
"Anything is possible! Back at JinHui TV, remember that low-budget drama I made, 'My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday's Price? Just a million yuan budget, no marketing, and it still pulled over 1.7% at its peak. Trust me on this." Jing Yu smiled at Cheng Lie.
"As long as the show has appeal—if it's good, people will watch. Viewers follow the drama, not the network."
"No, no…" Cheng Lie was flustered by Jing Yu's boldness, but he caught the main point.
"Teacher Jing, are you saying that for the summer season, while you're working on 'Hikaru no Go' Season 2, you also plan to write scripts for new dramas?"