Chapter 156: Mutual Cooperation with Jin Yong
"Jin Yong? Did he say what it's about? Time and place confirmed?" Yang Wendong asked in return.
Qin Zhiye shook his head. "He didn't say much. As for the time, he said it's up to your convenience, and the location as well. Or we could meet at the Grand Hotel, if you prefer."
"Alright, let's do tomorrow morning at the Grand Hotel," Yang replied.
The Grand Hotel was a favorite among Hong Kong's wealthy class and one of the earliest luxury hotels in the region. Most of the iconic hotels from Yang's past life hadn't even been built yet—they'd arrive in the '60s.
The next morning, Yang Wendong arrived at the Grand Hotel. In a private room, he met with Jin Yong.
"Mr. Cha, nice to meet you," Yang greeted with a smile.
Jin Yong stood and replied, "Mr. Yang, a pleasure. Please, have a seat. Tea?"
"Sure." Yang nodded. Among Chinese, tea was always preferred over the Westerners' coffee.
Once seated, Jin Yong brewed a pot of tea for the two of them. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Yang got to the point. "So, Mr. Cha, what did you want to speak to me about?"
Jin Yong smiled. "Two things. First, I've read the novel Celestial Sword of the Firmament published in your paper. It's quite good. I'd like to meet the author, Gu Long. Maybe we could exchange some thoughts."
"That can be arranged. He's not in Hong Kong right now, but once he returns, I'll have him visit Ming Pao." Yang didn't mind at all.
For the young Gu Long, any interaction with Jin Yong would only be beneficial. At his current stage, Gu Long's skill and fame were still far below Jin Yong's.
"The second matter," Jin Yong continued with a grin, "I heard you acquired the new commercial radio license?"
Yang's expression remained unchanged, and he chuckled. "Mr. Cha, you sure are well-informed."
"Haha, well, I am in the newspaper business, after all," Jin Yong said. "A radio station, in some ways, can have more influence than a newspaper. It's a shame I didn't have the capital to bid for it, or I might've tried."
"So the second thing is related to the radio station?" Yang asked.
In the era of television dominance, radio's relevance would eventually wane—only remaining useful in cars or rural areas. Much like how, in Yang's previous life, television was gradually displaced by mobile phones.
But at this moment in time, TV sets were expensive, and radios were the fastest and most accessible way for most people to receive real-time information. In that sense, radio still held more power than print media.
"It is related," Jin Yong replied. "I was hoping to promote my novels through your station—run a few ads, maybe boost Ming Pao's circulation a little."
Yang laughed. "But Mr. Cha, aren't we competitors?"
"Yes, and no," Jin Yong said, shaking his head. "We're in the same field, sure, but compared to the truly big players, both of us are still far behind. I wouldn't call that competition just yet."
"Fair point," Yang nodded.
Until one became a dominant player in the industry, they weren't really worthy of being called a rival.
"So then, Mr. Yang, does that mean you agree? Don't worry, I'll pay fair market rates for the ad slots," Jin Yong said with a smile.
Yang nodded. "Sure. But I have a better idea than just simple ads."
"Oh? What do you have in mind?" Jin Yong asked curiously.
Yang replied, "I think we could adapt your novels for radio, just like turning them into movies. What do you think?"
Jin Yong immediately grasped the concept. "You mean broadcasting the novel's story over radio?"
"Not just reading it aloud," Yang clarified. "It would be voiced by professional announcers, delivering dialogue and narration with emotional depth—portraying the story as vividly as possible. It'd be like a movie without visuals."
Before winning the license, Yang had taken the time to listen to existing programming on Hong Kong's public radio. To put it bluntly, it was boring—either old news or endless commercials. The announcers read with zero emotion, as if reciting a script.
Perhaps it was because they had no real competition—being the only Chinese-language station, they didn't have to care.
Looking back at how radio evolved in later years, especially the storytelling content on apps like Ximalaya, Yang realized this was a potential breakthrough. For many people, listening to stories was far more convenient than reading them.
"I see. But the story's so long—it would take forever to finish it," Jin Yong said.
"That's the whole point," Yang smiled. "Just like serializing novels in newspapers."
"Hahaha!" Jin Yong laughed heartily. "Mr. Yang, you're not just an inventor—you've got a real business mind too. Hong Kong's had radio for years, and no one's ever thought of adapting full-length novels before."
"Monopolies, I suppose. Once they're comfortable, they stop innovating." Yang smiled.
In fact, this kind of storytelling radio existed overseas already, but Hong Kong hadn't caught up. Why bother innovating when you had no competitors?
The government issuing a third radio license was probably intended to break this monopoly—forcing media companies to better serve the public. When people lack entertainment, social unrest often follows.
"Alright, I'll sell you the rights. But since it's a full-length novel, let's sell them one at a time. It'll take you ages to air even one book anyway," Jin Yong grinned.
"No problem. So what's your price?" Yang asked.
They were both businessmen, after all. Jin Yong's decision to sell book-by-book clearly meant he wanted to gauge performance before pricing future deals—totally understandable. Copyright, like patents, gave the seller leverage.
Yang owed his own success to that same principle.
"Which novel do you want first?" Jin Yong asked.
"The Legend of the Condor Heroes," Yang answered without hesitation.
It was the obvious choice. Among Jin Yong's completed works so far, this was the most popular—so much so that it spawned a direct sequel, Return of the Condor Heroes.
Jin Yong nodded. "Alright. I'll have to think about the price, though. It won't be much—I just need to calculate a fair value for the audio rights. I've never really considered them before."
"Great. I look forward to your response," Yang said with a smile.
He also planned to broadcast Gu Long's Celestial Sword of the Firmament over the radio. But in terms of fame, it simply couldn't match Condor Heroes. The phrase "A true hero serves the country and its people" alone had immeasurable weight.
Gu Long's novels tended to focus on duels and intrigue, rarely involving the political stage. His protagonists were usually lone, carefree swordsmen.
Still, each had its own appeal. With millions of potential listeners, there was room for every style.
By mid-December, Zhang Hui, with Tian Yunjian's help, officially resigned from the public radio station and brought along three colleagues—not from public radio.
Thus, the core team for Hong Kong's third radio station was finally in place.
After introductions, the others left, leaving only Zhang and Yang.
Yang handed him a document. "Zhang, I won't interfere with your professional operations. Programming, scheduling—those are your domain. I just want results.
But this—this is something I need broadcast on the station. Take a look."
Zhang took the file and glanced through it, then looked up in surprise. "The Legend of the Condor Heroes audio rights? You want to air a novel on the station?"
"Yes. But not just reading it aloud." Yang nodded. "It has to be emotional—like the voices in a great movie. Draw listeners in. Don't just read the plot."
After a week of consideration, Jin Yong sold the ten-year audio rights to Condor Heroes for 3,000 HKD—a very reasonable price, given the novel's popularity.
Zhang nodded. "Understood. Ideally, radio narration should be full of emotion. The problem is, Hong Kong's stations haven't done that well."
"Exactly. They've been monopolies too long," Yang said. "But we're the underdog. We need to get this right.
Storytelling needs emotion—whether it's short stories or full-length novels. Condor Heroes is our best way to build name recognition fast."
"I'll find the best talent for the job," Zhang promised. "There are probably people out there with the gift for this kind of work. They've just never had the opportunity."
Yang replied, "Then offer higher pay. The best people deserve the best rewards—if they have the talent, the ability, and the drive."
In Hong Kong's economy, labor costs weren't a huge concern.
"Got it," Zhang said. "Also—news from Japan. A company called Sony just partnered with a Chinese-owned firm. They're about to start manufacturing radios in Hong Kong."
"That's fantastic news," Yang laughed.
The 1960s were about to begin—and with them, the boom of Hong Kong's industrial sector: electronics, watches, toys, textiles. Even by the 1970s, world leaders like the presidents of Switzerland and Singapore came to study Hong Kong's economic miracle from Governor MacLehose.
But the British had little to do with it. It was the hard work of Hong Kong's Chinese population that built that legacy.
Just like Taiwan thirty years later. Just like mainland China forty years later.
...
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