[Chapter 93: Target: New York Post]
1990.
September 5th.
Weather: sunny.
New York City had the classic temperate maritime climate, marked by four distinct seasons. September brought the brightest sunshine of the year -- warm but not too hot. It was morning, and Orlando had just settled into work at the record label.
His assistant Diana approached with a rundown of his schedule for the day. As he stood to leave, she mentioned, "By the way, boss, I got an invite this morning. The New York City Council is hosting a charity auction tomorrow night at the Metropolitan Museum of Art."
"A charity auction? What's it for?" Orlando asked.
"To help ease the food crisis in Africa -- they want you there."
He glanced at the elegant black and gold-embossed invitation Diana handed him, then scoffed softly.
He thought to himself, these high-society types always had some excuse to make a buck. He didn't believe for a second that New York's elite truly cared about hunger in Africa. Were any of the four big grain traders good people?
But it was an invite from the City Council. You couldn't just ghost those kinds of events. You showed up, smiled, maybe dropped a few thousand or ten or twenty thousand dollars into the donation box.
After scanning the invitation, Orlando plopped back down into his office chair, turning away with a thoughtful look on his face.
At first, he just wanted to escape the tough life back in the Bronx. He'd done whatever he could to climb up, hooking up with Daisy to move up the ladder. Then came Awakening's power, and his ambitions grew: to become a superstar admired and envied by all. Then, just to be rich and famous.
But that had only been six months ago, and since then, everything changed. After hooking up with Hillary, things took a different turn.
She never directly spoke about it, but Orlando knew that trip to Arkansas was a big deal, especially with Bill involved. Somehow, he'd found his place in that circle.
He realized he couldn't just rely on his looks to get ahead. Even if he managed to charm Hillary, that wouldn't be enough to hold his place. Beyond physical relationships and feelings, he had to play an essential role in the group.
These days, Orlando felt like he was carving out that spot.
Media. He was already in the media world. He could become the media gatekeeper within that group.
He thought about it: his career had started well -- with singing, he'd built a decent following. If the chance came along, he'd snap up a big newspaper and a few respected magazines. Then, he'd establish his own platform.
As for TV networks, sure, he wanted in. But the 1990s saw major media mergers across the country: Time and Warner, rumors swirling about Disney and NBC. Clinton hadn't even made his move yet. He felt powerless.
So--
Orlando's eyes sharpened with determination. The first step was to own a major newspaper.
He looked down at the New York Post in the thick stack of papers on his desk.
"Back in '76, the Post was almost bankrupt after poor management. Circulation dropped to 480,000, only a third of what it's competitor, the New York Daily News pulled in, and ad revenues tanked.
Murdoch already owned The Sun and The Times in the UK and had built a media empire in Australia. He was eager to break into the biggest market by buying iconic American media. The $30.7 million price tag was just 60% of the Post's net asset value. The printing plant and Manhattan office space alone were worth over $20 million."
That afternoon, Kurt updated Orlando on his research from the past two months -- all about the Post.
Orlando had mixed feelings about Kurt, especially after the Kushner incident. Still, a telepathic check confirmed Kurt had no intention of double-crossing him. He was just cautious about his own interests and preferred to avoid disputes. Naturally, their cooperation went on.
"Murdoch converted it from a traditional serious paper to a tabloid, with sensational headlines like 'Alien Abducts Mayor,' celebrity gossip, and conservative commentary. Circulation soared to 900,000 in 1980. He also threw support behind politicians like NYC Mayor Ed Koch, cementing his voice in American politics," Kurt explained.
Orlando raised an eyebrow. "So that's why it's known as 'New York's only conservative daily'?"
"That's right," Kurt confirmed.
"But if higher sales can boost political clout, why'd Murdoch sell the Post to that real estate guy, Kalikow?" Orlando asked, puzzled.
"Murdoch didn't want to sell, but the FCC forced his hand. They barred companies from owning both a TV station and a newspaper in the same market to prevent media monopolies. Murdoch bought WNYW-TV (Channel 5 in New York) in '85, so by '88 he had to divest either the Post or the station.
Despite lobbying Congress for an exemption, Democrats blocked him over fears of a right-wing media monopoly. Murdoch chose to keep the TV station -- probably the smarter move financially. Meanwhile, Kalikow, lacking media experience, ran the Post straight into the ground," explained Kurt.
Orlando frowned. "So Kalikow just took the money and watched it bleed?"
"Pretty much," Kurt said. "Kalikow kept the tabloid angle, digging up scandals and stirring controversy to sell papers. Lately, they've been all over Trump's divorce."
Orlando smirked. The golden-haired man -- the future king in thirty years -- he'd met him a few times.
Kurt continued, "Kalikow tried reforms last year -- laid off 30% of reporters, editors, and press staff, cutting the newsroom to under 100. Closed distribution spots in suburbs too. He used his real estate to negotiate near monopoly leases for prime newsstand spots in NYC subway stations. Also bundled newspaper ads with leases, forcing tenants to buy ad packages.
All that pushed sales from 480,000 to 600,000 short-term. But the price per paper dropped from 50 to 25 cents. Slim profits and ad revenue fell short. Plus, his core business was tanking, so the Post stayed in dire straits."
Orlando nodded, then stood to gaze out over Manhattan's afternoon skyline. Past 4 PM, a molten golden sunset poured through glass skyscrapers. The steel structures cut into the sky like a grid. Streets below buzzed with thick traffic and neon glow. Shadows slipped over Broadway's buildings, setting the city ablaze.
He turned back to Kurt. "So, with the real estate market tanking and Kalikow close to bankruptcy, I could snatch it up cheap and hire a savvy CEO to run it."
Kurt nodded, aware Orlando had recently made nearly $200 million in Wall Street trading. "With steady investment, we can revive the Post. One of New York's oldest papers, with a loyal readership."
"But..." Kurt hesitated.
"What?" Orlando hated that word.
"Murdoch's no fool," Kurt warned. "News Corp's sale agreement with Kalikow has a buyback clause."
"What kind of terms?"
"If Kalikow sells the Post, Murdoch has first refusal rights. FCC rules block him from acting immediately, but we can't evade him."
Kurt grinned at Orlando's troubled expression.
Trouble? Good. More business for an M&A lawyer like him.
"Damn. So I'm competing with News Corp?"
Orlando stood firm but knew Murdoch's already a media titan -- the most successful foreign tycoon integrated into American media. His empire spans English-speaking countries: UK, US, Australia.
Bill Clinton's just a small player right now. No major influence yet.
To challenge News Corp, they'd have to start small and build up. But that was okay. Kurt was pricey but professional.
"I've found a way in -- I won't waste your fee, Mr. Keller."
Kurt snapped his fingers, pulling out a familiar pink paper from his bag.
"The Daily Mirror?" Orlando flipped through it: stories about AIDS ward visits, Liverpool fans pushing justice for Hillsborough, anti-tax protesters camping at Buckingham Palace -- headlines with no direct tie to News Corp.
Kurt flipped to business news and began reading: [News Corp was drowning in debt, Murdoch scrambling for bank aid. Overexpansion had sparked a crisis. The company faced potential default with a $7 billion debt load. Banks pushed News Corp for urgent restructuring plans. Murdoch flew to London for secret talks with Barclays and Citigroup, seeking loan term extensions and trying to avoid credit downgrades. Plans included selling non-core assets, like some US and Australian print operations, but lackluster buyers slowed deals.]
"News Corp is weak now. We have a shot at taking this conservative media icon from Murdoch!" Kurt rubbed his hands, ready for battle.
"I have a question," Orlando said suddenly. "You said the Post's the only conservative daily in NYC. Would the Republicans object to me buying it?"
"Likely," Kurt admitted. "But during Murdoch's time, the Post backed the Republican Party hard. Under Kalikow, it pulled back: endorsing bipartisan issues like crime fighting to widen appeal. Last year, it even backed Democratic candidate David Dinkins for mayor -- traded support for promoting the city's advertising. Republicans didn't protest much, so shouldn't be too much trouble."
Orlando fell into thought. After a moment, Kurt added, "Lots of people want the Post. No one's bitten on Kalikow's $35 million offer, and his Manhattan building's a hard sell. Next bid prices will be lower, and new buyers will come."
"$30 million." Orlando declared, "Contact the real estate mogul. If Kalikow's ready to sell at 30 million, I'll give him the cash right away."
Kurt opened his mouth to argue, but Orlando cut him off. "Just 30. Start there."
Reluctantly, Kurt agreed. "Alright, I'll try."
---
After seeing Kurt out, Orlando prepared to call Daisy and Hillary. He wasn't looking for emotional comfort from women but wanted to align with them before making the move to buy the Post.
Before he could dial, his phone rang -- it was Bill from Arkansas.
"Hello, good afternoon, Orlando."
"Afternoon, Bill. What's up?"
*****
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