099 Average Viewership: 9.6

The main way television programs make money is through advertising revenue, and advertising revenue is directly tied to ratings.

When The American Voice reached a 4.7 rating, everyone in the conference room grew excited. At this point, anyone who was still in the room watching television with Big Ox Li was naturally one of TC Entertainment’s key people.

For them, the company’s earnings were directly connected to their own benefits and treatment.

Big Ox Li was the only person in that room who was not satisfied with the rating. In his memory, the highest-rated television program in the United States was American Idol, a show that had swept the world as well; at its peak, it had reached a 17.6 rating.

What did a 17.6 rating mean?

The United States was unlike China. Its television stations were basically all privately owned, and their purpose, aside from a few conglomerates that needed to control public opinion, was to make money.

And if private companies wanted to make money, they naturally imposed strict standards on the quality of the programs they aired. After all, they had no government subsidy to rely on.

That was why American television programs, whether variety shows or dramas, were typically broadcast in seasons. Once ratings showed a problem, the plug was pulled immediately; the show would be neither produced nor aired again.

In such an environment, viewers had far more choices.

On top of that, the United States was a nation of immigrants. Americans of different races, nationalities, and faiths made it very difficult for any one station’s content to satisfy everyone.

For example, many Chinese people in America watched stations run by Chinese-Americans. Those stations targeted Chinese audiences. Even the most assimilated Chinese-American, no matter how eager to fit in, would still feel differently seeing a familiar face on the screen, hearing a familiar language, and watching familiar images.

By the same logic, each station carved out its own slice of the market.

Aside from universally beloved events like the Super Bowl or the NBA, very few programs could reach a rating above 10. Of course, dramas were an exception.

So the 17.6 rating achieved by American Idol was extraordinary.

As for the show Big Ox Li had produced, The American Voice, his expectation was that it would reach the same level as American Idol. He did not demand a 17.6 rating, but he certainly was not going to be satisfied with 4.7.

Once the first singer finished, the show moved into the judges’ selection phase.

The Black Auntie faced the camera and introduced herself: “My name is Jewel, and I’m from Kansas.”

One of the judges asked, “Hello, Jewel. Your voice is wonderful. Have you studied music?”

Jewel answered, “Thank you for the compliment. I haven’t studied music. In fact, I dropped out of high school.”

The judges and the live audience all gasped. Someone who sang this well had never studied music? What were the professionals supposed to make of that?

The judge went on, “So, Jewel, after singing and receiving so much applause, how do you feel?”

Jewel replied, “Honestly, before I finished singing, I kept worrying that this might be some kind of prank show. It wasn’t until just now, after the song was over and I heard all that applause, that I finally felt at ease. And I also saw that you were really sitting right in front of me.”

Her answer drew laughter from the studio.

“Why did you think it might be a prank show?”

“Because I didn’t believe anyone would really invite an old woman like me to sing on such a beautiful stage, and even tell me that if the judges chose me, I could become a star.”

The judge smiled and asked, “If you didn’t believe that, why did you come to take part in this show?”

Jewel explained, “A few days ago, my son told me that there was a king named Tarek who had started a television program and was selecting voices from the internet. He insisted that I sing a few lines, then recorded it and uploaded it online. And then, incredibly, someone really called us, and even booked our plane tickets for us. My son said that since the tickets were already booked, why not go? At worst, it would just be a trip to Hollywood.”

“We should thank your son. Otherwise, the whole world would have missed such a beautiful voice.”

After the judge finished speaking, the host took control, and the judges’ selection began. In the end, Jewel chose a female judge.

At that moment, Quinn shouted again, “5.3! The rating’s already up to 5.3, Chairman!”

Big Ox Li actually understood why the rating was rising so quickly, because he had been following the online buzz. Too many people were talking about the show on the internet, which had aroused the curiosity of a great many web addicts and driven them to turn on their televisions.

The second contestant took the stage. He was not as strikingly different as the Black Auntie from before; he was a young white man in his twenties. But from the way he dressed and his thin frame, he was clearly a shut-in.

And not a particularly good-looking one at that.

When the music began, the viewers in front of their televisions were surprised, because the song was an upbeat number, the kind that could instantly ignite an entire venue. It did not seem like the sort of song a shut-in ought to sing.

Yet the moment he opened his mouth, he stunned everyone. His voice was high and powerful, and no one could have imagined that such a thin body could unleash such a moving sound.

The audience in the studio was immediately electrified. They rose from their seats without thinking and began moving to the beat, while the cameras also caught the four judges swaying in their chairs to the rhythm.

Even many viewers at home started bobbing their heads and tapping their feet.

They had just heard a song of ethereal beauty, and in the blink of an eye they were given a fiercely rhythmic fast number. Under that contrast, the audience’s emotions surged even higher.

“6.3,” Quinn said. Beyond calling out the live ratings the station was feeding back in real time, he could no longer say anything else.

When the shut-in finished singing, the judges asked, “From the look of you, are you still a student? Are you studying music?”

“No, I’m majoring in computer science. I’m currently studying at Harvard University.”

The words Harvard University caused a wave of gasps in the studio. You’re a Harvard computer science student, and instead of going off to be another Bill Gates, you come here to sing? And sing this well?

“How did you decide to come on a singing show?”

The shut-in answered, “Because of a girl.”

At such a delightfully familiar answer, the audience was thrilled.

One judge asked, “Your girlfriend?”

“No.” The shut-in said shyly, “She doesn’t even know my name yet. I just heard that she likes boys who sing well, and a few days ago I happened to see my classmate Tarek’s update on EyeBook, so I recorded a short audio clip and sent it to her.”

One of the judges stood up and said, “I can vouch for you. Your singing was truly excellent.”

The other judges hurried to echo the praise, unwilling to be left behind.

“Then, do you want to say something to that girl now?”

The shut-in lowered his head and fell silent for a moment. Under the applause and encouragement of the audience, he slowly lifted his head with determination.

“Anna, hello. My name is Jordan. I want to sing only for you. Would you like that?”

At that instant, everyone watching the show could not help but applaud, all wearing smiles.

Quinn’s eyes were red as he shouted, “8.9! The rating is 8.9!”

Hearing that number made Big Ox Li feel much better. He had already looked into the ratings of other programs in this time slot, and the highest had been only 6.1. In other words, his show had already taken the crown for the highest rating in its time slot.

But that was not the end.

As more and more people discussed the show online, more and more people turned on their televisions to watch it.

By the time all sixteen contestants in the first episode had performed, and the program ended, Quinn had obtained the real-time ratings data sent over by ABC.

The peak was 11.7, and the average was 9.6.

And online, the show’s reputation exploded almost instantly.

Looking at Quinn, who had finally calmed down a little, Big Ox Li said with a smile, “If anyone wants to buy advertising time, remember this: raise the price by twenty percent from the previous quote.”