Chapter 527 – The two devise a plan
Deputy Chief Jia asked about the minute details of this new variety show. The contents of the show were all within the regulations. But he felt that this program still lacks a climax.
Feng Yu had said that the cash prizes will be given out at the end of 4 stages. 1,000 RMB will be given out at the first stage, followed by 2,000 RMB, 5,000 RMB and lastly 10,000 RMB. Other than the cash prizes, Wind and Rain, and Aiwa products will also be given out to the contestants.
But the highest value of the cash prizes and products the contestants could win was less than 20,000 RMB. Will it generate enough excitement like what Feng Yu said? Will it attract TV viewers to participate? Will the rating increase?
“This variety show was to create heroes out of ordinary commoners. The cash prizes at every stage represented the dreams of an ordinary family. Which family does not have dreams? We are here to fulfill their dreams! When the viewers noticed that they could answer the questions and could easily win the final prize, do you think they will not want to participate?”
“They should be interested.”
“Then if they want to participate in this variety show and win the prizes, what do you think they need?” Feng Yu continued to lead Deputy Chief Jia.
“Register and get selected?”
“No. They need to get prepared. It is just like those students preparing for their high school examinations. So how will they get prepared? Will teachers be teaching them? No. Will they have past year examination papers to practice? Yes. Our program is equivalent to past year examination questions!”
“You are telling me that before they participate, they will need to watch out show to familiarized with rules of the games and the type of questions?” Deputy Chief Jia asked excitedly.
“Of course. This is the only way. Our questions will be so diverse, and not even an encyclopedia could fit all the answers! Do you think our ratings will not increase because of this reason?” Feng Yu replied.
“But you said that you want to promote this variety program before it is aired. How should we promote it?”
“Simple. We can promote our show in other various programs. For example, We can tell the viewers about when our show will be aired, how to participate and what are out prizes, during . I have thought of the host for our show. I think the host of , Ni Ping, is suitable to be the host of our program.”
Ni Ping was currently one of the most popular TV hosts in China. As a female, she could easily speak to the participants and calm them down. Of course, Feng Yu also has a backup host. She was the host of .
As for the rest of the hosts that will be popular in the future years, Feng Yu had not met them and does not know where they were. For example, Wang Xiaoya, a popular TV host in the future, was nowhere to be found. There was no such person in CCTV!
“That’s all? Are you sure the ratings will exceed ?”
Feng Yu rubbed his chin. In his previous life, Happy Dictionary only became popular after 6 months. Although there was not much competition now, was the most popular show and there were other variety shows like , etc. These variety shows were well received by TV viewers. Feng Yu was also not very confident when he thought about the other variety shows.
“That’s it. If there is no highlights in our show, then we will create the highlight! What do you think if we invite some top university students, teachers or even professors to participate?”
“Ah? If we invite them to participate, then it will clash with your idea to let commoners participate in this program. If they are participating, the rest of the participants will have no chance of winning.” Deputy Chief Jia puzzledly looked at Feng Yu.
“Who says the common folks can’t win? Professors know everything? You try asking a Physics Professor, where is the capital of Uzbekistan. You think he can answer you?” Feng Yu glanced at Deputy Chief Jia. Do Deputy Chief Jia thinks that professors know everything in this world? They were only experts in their field.
This was like someone asking Feng Yu a question and Feng Yu could not answer him. And then that person would give Feng Yu a despised look and insulted him: “How can someone who does not even know such a simple thing be a university student?”
Deputy Chief Jia looked at Feng Yu speechlessly. This question was too random. Even he does not know the answer! Trying to ask this question to the people on the streets. See how many people know the answer?
“This is what I meant. There will be 10 questions, and the category of each question are different. The question from that category will be randomly picked. If the contestant could answer all 10 questions correctly, they will be the defending champion. When there are enough defending champions, there will be a special episode where all the champions will compete with each other for a bigger prize!”
“But how can you guarantee that common folk can answer all 10 questions? Didn’t you say that there will be physics questions and maths questions?” Deputy Chief Jia asked. How would a commoner know the answers to all those questions?
“We can cheat. You don’t even know how to cheat?!” Feng Yu said. In his previous life, which variety show does not cheat to create highlights for that show? Why were these people from CCTV so inflexible?
Deputy Chief Jia’s jaws dropped: “Che… Cheat?”
“Yes. We can arrange for someone to be the contestant and tell him the answers. He can claim that it was luck when he answered some difficult questions correctly. Anyway, the questions are in multiple choices format. He has a 25% chance to get it right. He can also call out to a friend, ask the audiences and eliminate one wrong answer, helplines. What’s wrong with this contestant getting the questions correct due to luck?”
“Can…… Can this work out?”
“Why not?! Think about this. An ordinary worker, whose monthly salary is not more than 200 RMB, winning the grand prize of 10,000 RMB and other prizes. What a surprise will that be for TV viewers? A University Professor who was earning a few hundred RMB reached the final question and answer it wrong. All the viewers will pity him. All the TV viewers will be rooting for the contestants, hoping for them to win. This will guarantee our ratings to be better!” Feng Yu said.
“Most importantly, this show is suitable for all ages. Viewers can learn lots of knowledge from this show and will the parents not let their children watch it? There will also be lots of general knowledge. Those in their middle age will like it, and the older viewers will like the history and health questions.”
Deputy Chief Jia thought about this for a while, and it seems that this variety show really has the potential to be the top variety show. This show was suitable for all ages and how can the ratings for this show be bad?
“I think this program will be a success. I will ask my men to do all the planning now!” Currently, CCTV was airing lots of re-runs of past programs. All Deputy Jia needs to do was to replace one of the re-runs with this program. He could still earn more from the advertising fees.
“Chief Jia, congratulations for coming up with the concept of a new TV program!” Feng Yu smiled and said.
Deputy Chief Jia looked at Feng Yu. Congratulations to me for coming up with the concept of a new program? Feng Yu wants to let me take all the credit for this program? Then, I should give in a bit to Feng Yu on the sponsorships and advertising fees……. We should all benefit together……
Translator's notes:
Info about Ni Ping
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ni_Ping
Info about Wang Xiaoya
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Xiaoya
In case you are wondering where the capital of Uzbekistan is, it is Tashkent.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tashkent