Everyone was a bit dumbfounded, thinking they had misheard.
For 'Challenge the Microphone' to have a viewership rating of 9.83%, the possibility of this was simply too small!
For this kind of program produced in just a few days to take over the broadcasting slot, even if it had a 5% viewership rating, no one would say anything.
But Director Yang's subsequent sentence, "just a tiny bit short of breaking 10%", proved they indeed had not misheard!
"This is a bit exaggerated, isn't it?!" Lin Fan muttered.
Before watching the final cut, his prediction was around 7%, and after watching the final cut, it rose to 8%.
But he never expected it to actually be close to 10%!
Back when it was 'I Love Remembering Lyrics', he wasn't even this surprised.
'I Love Remembering Lyrics' was meticulously crafted and well-produced; everyone was highly optimistic about it. When it directly broke the viewership rating record, they had considered this possibility.
But 'Challenge the Microphone' was different. You thought it was a randomly found fall guy brought in to clean up a mess, but it turned out to be a top-tier Mr. Perfect. The contrast was too huge!
Director Wu Jin also took a deep breath, his face unable to suppress his joy and excitement.
They were far from the only two who were surprised; everyone in the entertainment channel had a look of shock on their faces.
Even though the facts were right there, they still couldn't quite believe it.
Only Chen Ran's complexion was slightly better; although equally joyful, he wasn't as surprised as them.
The program's viewership rating perfectly matched his expectations!
The stickiness of 'I Love Remembering Lyrics' was very high. High viewership ratings and good stickiness were enough to prove that the audience liked it.
'Challenge the Microphone' was cut from the same cloth. Although the program content was different, it possessed the same entertainment value.
With the same crew and the audience of 'Remembering Lyrics' serving as a baseline guarantee, the viewership rating naturally wouldn't be too bad.
After a moment of surprise, many people sighed simultaneously.
"Truly regrettable!"
"It almost broke 10%!"
"Just a tiny bit short; with just one more day of promotion, it could have broken it!"
Now they finally understood why Director Yang said it was regrettable.
If the program's premiere could reach 10%, strictly speaking, it would be a program in the same tier as 'I Love Remembering Lyrics'!
Yang Qijun saw everyone's expressions and knew what they were thinking.
When he received the viewership rating report, he was first confused, then pleasantly surprised, and finally regretful; his reaction was no different from everyone else's.
Yang Qijun patted the table and said:
"Although the premiere viewership rating of 'Challenge the Microphone' didn't break 10%, the viewership curve looks very beautiful, exactly the same as 'I Love Remembering Lyrics' back then. The program's potential is unquestionable!"
The subtext was that he was highly optimistic about 'Challenge the Microphone', and together with its sister program 'Remembering Lyrics', they could become the two trump cards of the entertainment channel!
For one channel to have two programs with a 10% viewership rating was very difficult. In the past entertainment channel, even when it was called one of the troikas of Zhaonan TV Station, at its peak, there was only one program that exceeded 10%.
It could be foreseen that the next episode of 'Challenge the Microphone' would definitely be able to exceed 10%, or even higher!
With a lower starting point, its explosive growth would be even faster.
Many people's expressions were slightly peculiar.
If it weren't for this incident with Fang Qingying, 'Qingying's Lecture Room' would definitely have sat securely in its position.
After all, for a program that had run for so many years, unless there was a problem, it definitely wouldn't be easily axed; in that case, 'Challenge the Microphone' would have had absolutely no chance of appearing.
For the entertainment channel, this matter could be considered a mix of fortune and misfortune.
The others also placed their gazes on Chen Ran. If 'I Love Remembering Lyrics' let people know Chen Ran, then this move with 'Challenge the Microphone' gave Chen Ran weight in the eyes of these veterans.
Bringing out these two achievements, no one present could compare.
When the meeting adjourned, Yang Qijun signaled Chen Ran to stay behind, while the others left first.
"A while ago, I just said you came to the entertainment channel too late. Having only done one program, you had no way to compete for best planner. I didn't expect you would actually give me a surprise!" Yang Qijun looked at Chen Ran, his eyes full of smiles.
He felt that letting Chen Ran and Lin Fan compete back then was considered his most correct choice; otherwise, where would they have found these two explosive hit programs?
Even if he registered Chen Ran for a single program, it would be useless. Now that 'Challenge the Microphone' was also a hit, even though the programs were similar, they were both Chen Ran's original creations.
Furthermore, his level of participation was the highest, almost completing it independently. Coupled with the programs' results, it was entirely sufficient to compete for best planner.
Chen Ran smiled and said, "This is all thanks to everyone's credit."
Yang Qijun shook his head and said,
"The results belong to everyone, but the proposal doesn't. When the program was first submitted, I was quite dissatisfied, wanting you to concentrate on doing 'I Love Remembering Lyrics' well. I didn't expect you to have such ideas."
"Wait until the next episode of 'Challenge the Microphone' breaks 10%, and I'll immediately register you for it. With your results, you have a considerable chance of winning the award!"
Yang Qijun patted Chen Ran's shoulder.
He thought to himself, it was a pity that Chen Ran's 'Zhaonan Focus' on the public channel couldn't count; otherwise, the award would be an absolute certainty.
However, whether it counted or not was one thing; he definitely had to write it in. At the very least, it could add points for Chen Ran.
After all, it was the station's hottest news program. Its viewership rating was so high that even Zhaonan News Broadcast couldn't compare. Its positive significance was too great.
Although Chen Ran was no longer the chief planner, the program originated from his hands; this point was also a very important resume piece.
Only after Chen Ran left the conference room did Yang Qijun say to Director Liu:
"The station doesn't plan to pursue this matter further, but your bonus is definitely gone."
"It's my problem. I accept the punishment," Director Liu smiled bitterly.
Yang Qijun shook his head and said,
"You, ah, you should also thank Chen Ran. If 'Challenge the Microphone' hadn't come out, it wouldn't have been easy for me to plead for leniency on your behalf. His two explosive programs were both produced under your supervision, which also won you a lot of glory."
"A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit. Being a director isn't just about managing program approvals; you also need to pay more attention to the production crews' problems. Step forward and coordinate when coordination is needed. It's best if this kind of thing never happens again!"
Director Liu watched Director Yang leave.
Amidst sighing in despair, he couldn't help but feel relieved. With the matter escalating upwards, he had been battered and exhausted, as well as on tenterhooks.
If the matter hadn't been handled well, directly kicking him out of the TV station wouldn't have been going too far.
It was only because he had made contributions and toiled hard, and Director Yang had tried his utmost to help, that he only suffered a slap on the wrist and a half-year deduction of his bonus.
……
On the public channel, Director Zhang took a few deep breaths to calm himself down.
Nearly 10%!
He truly hadn't expected it!
When he urged Chen Ran to fight for this opportunity back then, he had casually mentioned a 10% viewership rating, but he knew the probability of this wasn't high, let alone for 'Challenge the Microphone', a program produced in less than a week, which basically had no hope.
Who knew that when the viewership rating report came out today, it would give him a massive surprise!
Truly, Director Zhang felt comfortable all over; his heart felt even better than smoking a cigarette. Even though they were Chen Ran's results, it made him happier than if a good program had appeared on the public channel.
He coughed twice to make himself less excited before dialing Chen Ran's number.
When Chen Ran picked up, he still couldn't help but laugh heartily and loudly.
"I know the viewership rating. Good, very good! Come home tonight, let's have a toast, the two of us!"
Feeling his happiness, Chen Ran smiled and said, "Alright, Uncle!”