Becoming a Russian Oligarch After Rebirth
Chapter 1249 - 1024: Can’t Spend It All_2

Chapter 1249: Chapter 1024: Can’t Spend It All_2

Wang Ye started from two aspects. First, he took control of the Russian Internet and social platforms by acquiring MAIL.RU and YANDEX, as well as establishing Facebook. This basically achieved his goal.

At the very least, he had the Russian online information platforms that young people access in his control.

In this way, he could manage the distribution and spread of information using keywords filtering and other technological methods at certain times. Some things are inconvenient to discuss in detail, but everyone should have an idea.

The second was, naturally, to begin gradually cultivating cultural confidence among the citizens; TV programs were quite effective in this respect.

Thus, even in the age of the internet, one should not underestimate the power of TV stations.

Especially since it was only 2006, TV stations still had significant influence, remaining the top entertainment choice for many people.

Therefore, Wang Ye planned to invest heavily, allocating ten billion US dollars over ten years to create a potent position for cultural export!

That would be NTV he had just acquired...

...

Xie Liaofu was so excited he was trembling slightly. He said flusteredly, "So much money... It’s more than we can ever spend!"

Suddenly being told to spend a billion US dollars was indeed taxing for him.

Honestly, even in his most audacious dreams, he had never imagined an annual budget of a billion US dollars.

Spending money was a technical skill; you couldn’t just squander and waste the boss’s money, and Xie Liaofu did not have the courage to do that...

Wang Ye said with a smile, "Let me make a request, then. Out of the annual budget of a billion US dollars, five hundred million must be allotted to produce one or two major dramas! The themes must focus on our Russian history and culture. They must be exquisitely produced, creating a sensation upon release. I wonder if you can accomplish this."

Spending five hundred million US dollars on a TV series was an extravagance never seen before 2006!

Even "Band of Brothers," which was claimed to be the highest-budgeted TV series in history, had a total investment of only one hundred and twenty million US dollars; now Wang Ye had quadrupled it!

Clearly, his ambition was not small; the major series he wanted to produce were not only to be broadcast domestically in Russia but also aimed at cultural export...

Of course, having sufficient funds was not enough; there also had to be a skilled team to ensure that the money was well spent and achieved the effects Wang Ye desired.

Otherwise, spending hundreds of millions of US dollars on producing a bad series would turn into a huge joke!

And that was something Wang Ye would not allow!

Xie Liaofu clearly understood Wang Ye’s intention, and his expression became more solemn.

It was a good thing for the boss to be willing to invest, but for an executive like him, handling such amounts of money was burdensome.

Because the more money the boss invested, the higher his demands.

Meeting the boss’s demands was no simple task.

After giving it thorough thought, Xie Liaofu nodded seriously and said,

"Chairman Mikhail, rest assured, I will certainly organize the top domestic team from refining scripts to assembling director teams, to selecting actors, and finally to filming effects. Every aspect will be honed to perfection to achieve the best possible result!

I am confident that producing one or two high-quality productions every year will establish NTV’s productions as a prominent symbol!"

Honestly, Xie Liaofu was a bit nervous inside.

Producing high-budget TV series, sufficient funds indeed made it possible, but whether the final product would meet the boss’s expectations remained uncertain.

That was something no one could guarantee.

But at such a moment, even if he felt uncertain, he had to grit his teeth and agree!

If he didn’t have even that much resolution, what kind of station chief was he!

No matter what, Xie Liaofu had to give it his all. He didn’t believe that, with a billion US dollars in hand, and going all out for a year, he couldn’t wring out some results!

Even if a year later he was fired for not meeting the boss’s expectations, he would have no regrets.

After all, he would have been a man who spent a billion US dollars in a year...

That was enough to boast about for half his lifetime!

...

Hearing Xie Liaofu affirm his promise resolutely, Wang Ye nodded in satisfaction.

Although he was also aware that even with such a significant investment, whether the project would succeed or achieve the desired effects was still an unknown.

However, he was willing to give Xie Liaofu the opportunity to try.

If it didn’t work out, they could always change personnel next year—it wasn’t a big deal.

Thus, Wang Ye said with a smile,

"The funds will be in place soon, and the first major drama we’re investing in this year has already been decided—it’ll be ’Empress Yekaterina’!

Regarding the shooting, I think you all could learn from American TV dramas and shoot by seasons.

If the first season is well-received, then immediately continue with the second, third seasons...

If the first season isn’t effective, then it’s possible to cut losses in time and adjust the direction."

Choosing ’Empress Yekaterina’ was a calculated decision by Wang Ye.

This series, from before his rebirth, was one of the most memorable Russian series he had watched—it was really well-made and considered a big production among Russian series.

It not only had a strong response in Russia but was also famous and watched by many overseas.

Now, putting a huge investment into producing this series ahead of time, even more so than in his previous life, the outcome was bound to be better than before.

This was one reason.

Additionally, Wang Ye had a bit of a "personal agenda" in making this series.

Let’s not forget who Empress Catherine was!

She was an ancestor of Rossiyana, an empress from the Romanov Monarchy!

This could also be seen as promoting Rossiyana, creating prestige for her.

"Empress Yekaterina... It’s an excellent subject; she is very well-known globally, a female emperor, so there are many stories to explore. Choosing this subject is definitely right, Chairman, you have a great vision indeed," Xie Liaofu subtly flattered Wang Ye.

Jokingly, since the Boss had already decided on the subject, regardless of what the Boss chose, one could only agree, rather than foolishly criticize the subject’s suitability...

Wang Ye laughed heartily, lifted the Red Wine Cup beside him, and said, "Then, here’s to our TV station’s new drama setting new viewership records!"

Xie Liaofu hastily raised his cup as well.

Upon clinking their glasses, they both drained them in one gulp!

...

Wang Ye acted decisively and quickly allocated the funds he had promised to Xie Liaofu.

One billion US dollars, not a cent less!

Originally, his liquidity had been tied up in acquiring Khodorkovsky and A Bu’s assets, making it difficult to gather that amount.

However, the money he paid to Khodorkovsky was still in the First United Bank account, and Khodorkovsky temporarily didn’t need that much money.

Now that Wang Ye urgently needed it, he spoke to Khodorkovsky and temporarily borrowed one billion US dollars.

Given their uncle-nephew relationship, this wasn’t a big deal, Khodorkovsky agreed readily, even asking Wang Ye if one billion US dollars was enough and mentioning he had plenty more in his account for borrowing!

Xie Liaofu was also highly efficient, quickly putting together a five-year development plan, aiming to make NTV the largest TV station in Eastern Europe within five years, with coverage across all of Russia and the surrounding Russian-speaking countries.

His confidence stemmed from Wang Ye’s annual investment of one billion US dollars...

As a critical first step in the TV station’s development plan, to produce the self-made drama ’Empress Yekaterina Season One’ was immediately scheduled.

Xie Liaofu personally took charge as the head of the preparation team, sending out a call for the top screenwriters, directors, and actors from all over Russia and even the whole Eastern European TV series and movie industry.

He boldly declared an investment of five hundred million US dollars to create a drama that would stun the whole world.

This news immediately caused a huge stir in the entire Russian Entertainment Circle, with everyone even remotely related wanting a piece of the production.