Butler introduced an American named Davis, the owner of Xinfu Foreign Company (electrical equipment company), and this guy also has the identity of the secretary general of the Shanghai International Radio Society. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

As soon as they met, Davis said enthusiastically: "Mr. Zhou, are you really willing to open a radio station?" ”

"Yes, there is this idea." Zhou Hexuan said with a smile.

"That's great!"

Davis said excitedly: "You don't know, I have traveled all over North China, and not a single Chinese is willing to do the radio business." ”

"That's because you don't make money doing radio." Zhou Hexuan said.

"Uh......" Davis argued, looking a little embarrassed, "as long as you have a large enough audience, you can still make money." Not long ago, a Chinese in Shanghai opened a private broadcasting company. ”

"The Chinese drove it themselves?" Zhou Hexuan was surprised.

Davis said: "Yes, the name is Xinxin Radio Station. The head of the electrical department of this radio station is called Kwong Zan, who is also a member of our International Radio Society, and he designs and assembles the broadcasting equipment himself, but some of the equipment is purchased at my Xinfu foreign company. ”

Zhou Hexuan smiled: "Really? Next time I go to Shanghai, I will definitely meet this Mr. Kuang Zan. ”

By the way, Kwong Zan later became a film recording engineer and director, and invented such film-shooting devices as reminder bells, mirror nerves, and director's lights, which have been used for decades. It wasn't until the 50s that Kwong Zan made his own set of widescreen equipment in Hong Kong and directed China's first widescreen film.

Davis asked, "Mr. Zhou, there is no broadcasting foundation in the northern region, and the market needs to be explored. Do you have enough money? If it's not enough, I can invest in it. ”

Zhou Hexuan smiled: "Why don't you open your own broadcasting company?" ”

"Don't you know?" Davis was surprised, "The Chinese government does not allow foreigners to open radio-related companies. I opened a radio station in Shanghai five years ago, and it worked so well that even residents of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces bought radios just to listen to my radio programs. ”

"And then?" Zhou Hexuan asked.

Davis shrugged his shoulders and said helplessly: "It's a pity that the radio station was only opened for a year, and it was dismantled by the warlord Lu Yongxiang at that time. Fortunately, the radios sold a lot, and I didn't lose money. ”

Zhou Hexuan suddenly discovered that although the Beiyang government was mediocre and incompetent, some laws were still very powerful. For example, foreigners cannot apply for patents in China, and foreigners cannot play radio in China, which greatly protects the development of national industries.

Davis egged: "Mr. Zhou, I have the latest broadcasting equipment. Now the best radio station in Shanghai has only 100 watts, and my equipment has a power of up to 250 watts. As long as a radio station is set up in Tianjin, the signal can be received in Beiping. If you really plan to start a broadcaster, I can invest 5,000 yuan and install the equipment for free to help you train your staff.

Capitalists, of course, don't do charity, and Davis is so active that he just wants to sell radios in the North. Once a radio station appeared in Tianjin, the radio market could be slowly cultivated, and Davis was in business for a long time. He longed for the more radio stations in China, the better, and as long as the Chinese people developed the habit of listening to radio, radio sales would inevitably increase greatly.

Zhou Hexuan smiled, shook his head and said, "I don't need your shares, but I want you to provide and install broadcasting equipment for free, and help me maintain the equipment regularly." ”

"How is this possible?" Davis refused without thinking, "Any screw has its value, and I can't give it to you for free." ”

Zhou Hexuan said regretfully: "Then I still don't run any radio station, and I can't make a lot of money anyway." Mr. Davis, farewell! ”

"Wait!"

Davis seemed a little anxious, Zhou Hexuan was the only one in the entire North China who was interested in being a radio station. He was still waiting to open up the market to sell radios, how could he let it go, and immediately smiled: "Mr. Zhou, as a radio enthusiast, I would like to see radio popular in the north." Well, I'll provide you with 250 watts of high-power broadcasting equipment for free, but you need to advertise me on the radio so that listeners can buy my radio. ”

"Of course, it's a reasonable request." Zhou Hexuan said with a smile. I can pick up a set of broadcasting equipment for nothing, and there are people to install and maintain it for free, which is cheap and profitable.

Sending Davis away, General Butler, who had not spoken, suddenly laughed and said, "Zhou, it turns out that you are also a profiteer." ”

"How can you say that, just take what you need." Zhou Hexuan resolutely refused to admit that he was treacherous, he was very noble.

Butler is a man who understands, and because he understands too well, he scolds the government and the capitalists all day long.

However, it was said that Davis said goodbye to Zhou Hexuan and immediately sent a telegram back to Shanghai, asking his subordinates to quickly bring a set of broadcasting equipment and 2,000 radios. Shanghai's radio market share has been almost grabbed by Kailuo Telephone Materials, and Davis can't wait to make a big show in the north.

Yes, the Kailuo Broadcasting Company in Shanghai is also supported by American businessmen behind the scenes. Americans rent full radio equipment to Chinese at low prices, circumvent legal restrictions, and then rely on radio stations to promote their radios.

A few years later, Kailuo would also set up a Chinese radio station in Tianjin, also to expand its influence and promote the sales of radio equipment.

This Kailuo company happens to be Davis's biggest competitor to Xinfu in China.

While Davis was busy, Zhou Hexuan also became busy. He threw the editorial work of the "Popular" supplement to Li Shoumin, and devoted himself to the preparation of the radio station.

He first rented an office building in the British Concession as the office address of the radio station, and then published newspapers to recruit editors and broadcasters, and even contacted record companies to record records.

The radio programs planned by Zhou Hexuan are far more mature than their current counterparts, including songs, dramas, storytelling, cross talk, news, business quotes and so on. Unlike the private radio station that just opened in Shanghai, the content only has news, business information, Cantonese tunes and Sutan (Su opera).

As for absorbing advertising fees, there is no rush for the time being, and we will talk about it when the listening market is opened.

Zhou Hexuan didn't just run a radio station to make money. In fact, it would be good if this thing could maintain a balance of payments, he wanted to promote the spirit of patriotism, and the selected commentaries were all about national heroes such as Yue Fei and Wen Tianxiang.

Of course, Tianjin is a cross talk nest, and the radio must have cross talk content, and he doesn't believe that the people of Tianjin can resist the temptation.

After more than a month of busy work, Zhou Hexuan's new work "Guns, Bacteria and Steel" was finally successfully published and distributed by Peking University Press.