freenovelworld Chapter 505 Let's Make News
Chapter 505 Let's Make News
Chapter 505 Let's Make News
The headquarters of ByteSlide is in Beijing.Zuo Hao, the person in charge of the Phoenix Fund, came to visit in the morning of May 5.
Different bosses have different management styles and schedules.For example, Brother Dong of JD.com, he has breakfast with executives at [-] o'clock every morning, and holds morning meetings by the way.For example, Jobs, he used to take a day off on Sunday, and asked the executives to come out to play and talk about things.
When Zhang Yimin could spare an hour on Saturday morning, Zuo Hao took the initiative to come to visit.He recently took charge of the Phoenix Fund and worked very hard.
"Mr. Zuo, please sit down!" Zhang Yimin, wearing glasses and not tall, beckoned Zuo Hao to take a seat in the reception area of the office.The assistant brought in two cups of coffee.
He came from a technical background, he didn't greet Zuo Hao, and went directly to the topic, "Mr. Zuo, I know why you are here. But we don't want to accept investment from Phoenix Group at the moment. In fact, our current money is still enough to burn. We just raised a $4 billion round in April.”
Zuo Hao didn't expect to encounter setbacks at the beginning, so he smiled slightly, waiting for Zhang Yimin's next words.After all, Zhang Yimin was willing to see him for a reason.
Zhang Yimin took a sip of coffee and said seriously: "Mr. Zuo, I have great respect for Mr. Jing of your group. I have no intention of becoming an enemy of the Phoenix Group. Toutiao is first and foremost a news and information distribution platform. His social media, public opinion The platform attribute is relatively weak."
He met Zuo Hao, the person in charge of the Phoenix Fund, today, and knew about the Phoenix Group.For example, he knows an insider information about the "Orange Takeaway", which has been hotly hyped recently.
The headquarters of Meituan is also in Beijing.Although he is only 35 years old this year, he has worked in the Internet industry for many years. Before founding Toutiao in 2012, he worked at Kuxun and [-].com, and also worked for Microsoft for a short time.
He knew it was normal to have some inside information.
It is said that the Phoenix Fund once visited Meituan and wanted to invest some money in Meituan, so as to ensure that its Phoenix payment can be used in Meituan's App.But it was rejected by Meituan Wang Xin.Therefore, Phoenix Group immediately and strongly acquired Baidu Waimai and entered the field of food delivery.
Therefore, although he didn't want Phoenix's investment, he still met Zuo Hao, the person in charge of Phoenix Fund, to clarify his thoughts.
He has already negotiated with Baidu, and he doesn't want to face another Internet giant's squeeze.As for the friction with Tencent, it is still in its early stages.Tencent took a stake in Kuaishou, the head software in the short video field.But he has confidence in shaking y.
Zuo Hao's communication skills are still good, and he said with a smile: "Mr. Zhang, I will pass on your words to Mr. Jing. Then, can we participate in Toutiao's next round of financing?"
Zhang Yimin hesitated for a moment and remained silent.
He has no way of knowing the specific reason why Wang Xin rejected Phoenix.But there is one point, probably related to his rejection of Phoenix at this time.
Enterprises at their level, with a valuation of about 200 billion US dollars, really have no shortage of investment institutions to be optimistic about.When they take money now, it is not only based on the attributes of the capital, whether they are in line with "Ali" or "Tencent", but also what the capital can bring to the development of the company?
Phoenix started out as a "shared travel", and they couldn't bring more help to the company's development.
He is in awe of Jing Gao and doesn't want to offend Phoenix, but that doesn't mean he has to accept Phoenix's invalid investment.What's more, Fenghuang and Ali are still hostile!
Zuo Hao smiled, put down the coffee cup in his hand, and said under pressure: "Mr. Zhang, today's headlines occupy the largest market share of today's news platforms. Your headline number is enough to grow into a meager social media.
Although Jing Zong spent only US$22 billion on the acquisition of Sina last year, the meager market value is relatively high, exceeding US$100 billion.Even if the valuation of the same foreign software Twitter has dropped from more than 300 billion US dollars to only more than 100 billion.
Even if social media is impacted by short videos, it will not be optimistic for a long time.But Mr. Zhang, you can't deny that this is a good business! "
Who dares to say that a company with a market value of 100 billion US dollars is not a good business?Today's headlines really do not have the urge or demand to expand on social media and public opinion platforms?
Not necessarily?
Zhang Yimin smiled wryly in his heart.No one is an easy character!Zuo Hao still has two brushes for being able to manage the Phoenix Fund.Look at the question very precisely.
"Mr. Zuo, let me be straightforward. Phoenix can't bring more help to Byte Slide. Phoenix's main business is shared travel. If you really want to invest in Byte Slide, you need to pay a high premium. This I'm afraid it may not be accepted by you. In addition, the relationship between you and Ali is very bad, and this is something I have to consider. So..."
Zuo Hao understood, stood up and shook hands with Zhang Yimin, "Mr. Zhang, thank you for taking the time to see me. Thank you!"
Zhang Yimin nodded and sent Zuo Hao out.At the end of the day, he shook his head and let out a long sigh in his heart.He didn't know how Jing Gao would react.However, facing the idea of Phoenix becoming a shareholder, he had to show his attitude!
That is: denial.
...
...
Zuo Hao stepped out of ByteSwipe's headquarters, feeling deeply moved in his heart.Mr. An talked with him and asked to come and get in touch with ByteSwipe to chat about the possibility.He got the final result today.
Hi!
But at the same time, he could clearly feel that Byte Slide respected him and the Phoenix Group, and even had a little fear.This is probably what his "rival" Han Wenguang didn't have when he went to Meituan to negotiate when he was in charge of the Phoenix Fund not long ago, right?
It is said that Wang Xin rejected him lightly.
Today's Phoenix Group is different from the past.After the streamlining of the structure and the spin-off of the business, the Phoenix Group has become a giant in the Internet industry, taking the speech of Mr. Jing released by the President's Office as the time node!
His experience today is the embodiment of the Internet giant's cards.
He has to get busy with investing in "Pinduoduo" next.
...
...
Zuo Hao reported the contact to An Zhiwen.When Jing Gao received An Zhiwen's call, he was drinking and chatting with Tan Qin and Wang Yuke in the private room of the restaurant of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on the Bund of Shanghai.
Wang Yu is the boss of "Shengshi", and he runs Shengshi nightclub, KTV, and clubs under his name.Looking at the mountains and the water, the business is a bit out of the way, but his net worth is 50 billion.
The reason for this small drink was that An Yi had a fight with a son of the Yao family in Beijing in the Shengshi Club in Beijing, and the manager of the club ended the fight.
Under Tan Qin's "mediation", Wang Yuke fired the manager and went to Beijing to apologize to Jing Gao face to face and treat guests to dinner.At that time, it was about drinking and talking.
Jing Gao came to Shanghai this time mainly to treat Tan Qin to dinner.Tan Qin helped him "mediate" in such a face-saving way, so that he could earn enough face.Of course he was going to give something in return.At the same time, it also means making friends.
Jing Gao knew Tan Qin last year.Tan Qin is very influential in Shanghai and the surrounding areas, and has a wide range of contacts.His late parents had been active in the political arena.The early summer group he founded has a valuation of about 500 billion.
He holds a financial salon every Wednesday in his villa, which is regarded by some in the industry as an indicator of investment.
That's what human interaction is all about.After contacting each other for a period of time, when the heat is reached, the relationship will naturally go deep.
And Tan Qin called Wang Yuke over, and brought two beauties to warm up the scene.How long can two men talk while drinking and not talking about business?It is still interesting to have a beautiful woman to accompany and warm up the scene.It's not about drinking flowers and wine, normal communication is enough.
In their position, what kind of woman has never seen before, so why are they so anxious to touch their hands while drinking?If you have an idea, you can chat privately!
Wang Yuke's business is a little off the beaten track, and he has a lot of beautiful women in his hands.He is also very reliable.Tan Qin is willing to support him on such occasions.
That's right, it is "supporting".
With Jing Gao's identity, status, and power, Wang Yu may climb his line, and the road will be widened!For example, if Wang Yuke's "Prosperity Entertainment" wants to enter the nightclub market in Jinling, it is estimated that Jing Gao can say hello.
Both beauties are young.One is slender, with a timid and charming temperament, about 24 to 19 years old.When Wang Yuke introduced her, she laughed and said that she was an oiran in the social circle of Shanghai.One is petite, fresh and sweet, [-] years old, studying at a prestigious university.With fair skin, she was wearing tight-fitting black leggings, her legs were curled up, and there was no gap between her beautiful legs.You can tell it's the first time at a glance.
The restaurant box of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel is luxuriously decorated and has an excellent view.You can see the night view of the Huangpu River, as well as the view of Linhe, with bright lights.
"Lao An, wait a minute." Jing Gao stood up holding the phone, and said apologetically to Tan Qin, "Mr. Tan, I'm going out to answer the phone." Walking into the corridor outside the restaurant, he heard An Zhiwen slide the words over there After talking about the situation, I couldn't help laughing, "Old An, I think this person's thinking is a bit naive!"
An Zhiwen laughed and said, "Boss Jing, I respect you very much." He joked with Jing Gao.
In the "war" between Internet giants, where is there any element of tenderness and personal subjective will?There is also no such thing as "surrender and lose half".In this forest, winners take all.
Since ByteSlide has the news client software with the largest domestic market share: Toutiao.And has entered the field of social media, and has substantial competition with meager.So, is it because Zhang Yimin said a few words that he respected Jing Gao so that the Phoenix Group would not squeeze his living space?
Similarly, when Toutiao surpasses Weibo, will he show mercy to Weibo?Do you really think that a $100 billion business is not a piece of fat?
Therefore, byte sliding either accepts investment, with some constraints.For example, Tencent invested in the short video software "Kuaishou", and Kuaishou promised not to socialize.Either accept the war.This is the iron law of business.
Jing Gao said with a smile: "All right. I won't talk about it. Let Weibo enter the news field and strive to provide users with high-quality news. We can also study the algorithm model of byte sliding. Baidu does not have this user base. We don't have that flaw."
Today's headlines robbed Baidu's mobile traffic.Baidu and Toutiao are at war, so they have to enter the news field.But does Baidu have an app with very high user stickiness?No!
A killer app is not so easy to breed.Therefore, there is a high probability that Baidu will not be able to suppress Toutiao today!
But that tiny base of users is huge.It is currently booming, surpassing the highest market capitalization in history, rushing to more than 110 billion US dollars.It has surpassed Twitter, its former benchmark.
Since Jing Gao has paid attention to this area, of course he has read relevant materials and analysis.The Primordial Think Tank under his name does just that.The assistants summarized the report and various collected information, and submitted a document full of dry goods to him.
At present, social media such as Weibo and Twitter are facing a great dilemma: the prospect is worrying.Twitter is facing Facebook's competition in the social field, and its product Instagram has defeated Twitter.
Weibo is currently developing well and taking off for the second time, but all analysis reports point out that it is facing competition in the short video field.
This business model is well understood.Weibo, Twitter and other social media retain users.If the number of daily active users is high, then there will be advertisers to advertise, and the revenue of social media will rise in a straight line.
If users all go to play short videos, the income of social media such as Weibo and Twitter will plummet.
Twitter is still in civil turmoil and has no future plans.After the acquisition of Phoenix Group, Weibo continued the strategy set by the previous management team, from the social media platform, down to the vertical segment, and deepened the content.
Its segments are: food, e-commerce, education, variety shows, regional bloggers, sports, humor, emotions, and TV dramas.
In fact, combined, three words to evaluate the meager strategy: entertainment!
The current internal strategy of Weibo is to continue the entertainment strategy and incubate its own short video business.
Their news business is actually provided by Sina.com's mobile app.If Weibo gets involved in the news field, it will actually be a conflict.It's hard to say in the boardroom and the team.But Jing Gao has no such worries.He has already completed the holding of Sina and became a major shareholder.
Unconvinced, hold back, don't talk!
He doesn't care about the survival of portals with a market cap of less than $50 billion.The proportion of Sina App in the news client is very low.Sina and Weibo form a competition to compete!This is not a bad thing.
Clearly, meagerness is where the battle is fought.It will be an important starting point for the Phoenix Group to hit the number one position on the Internet.
"Okay, Mr. Jing."
Jing Gao hung up the phone and returned to the box in the restaurant.
Jing Gao didn't know that he had unintentionally made a good move.The value of being a news client is actually far more than that of meager social platforms such as Twitter’s current business model.
Toutiao completed its F round of financing on October 2018, 10.The valuation given by the capital is 20 billion US dollars.
After the end of the civil strife, Twitter immediately transformed, weakening the social platform attributes and focusing on providing users with news.Their tab in the Apple Store changed from "Social" to "News." At the close of trading on September 2019, 9, the market value of Twitter returned to its peak!
From the current market value of US$2017 billion in 110, it soared three times to US$3 billion.
However, Weibo, which will focus on entertainment in the future, had a market value of only US$2020 billion on December 12, 28.
(End of this chapter)