[Chapter 445: Radical Healing by Cutting Off Rot]
The next day, Linton arrived at Universal Square with his assistant and bodyguard. Scott, Bob, Mary, Klinsman, and Megan were already waiting at the base of the building.
Upon arriving at work, Linton's first order of business was to sign the appointment letters for the five of them.
- Scott Flick was appointed President of Universal Studios.
- Megan Oster was appointed Office Director of Universal Studios.
- Mary Watts was appointed Director of Finance at Universal Studios.
- Bob Weinstein was appointed Director of Production at Universal Studios.
- Klinsman Reed was appointed Deputy Director of Distribution at Universal Studios.
To ensure they settled into their roles quickly, Linton immediately convened a company-wide staff meeting.
At the meeting, he first read the official appointment announcements for the five new executives, then allowed each of them to make a brief speech expressing their commitment.
Finally, facing the entire headquarters staff, who were unsettled by the collective dismissal of former executives and the swirling negative media and public rumors -- with most media doubting Universal's future -- he delivered a concise address aimed at calming nerves.
His speech boiled down to three main points:
First, Linton explained why he had acquired Universal -- because he recognized the platform's strength, resources, and legacy.
Second, he addressed the immediate dismissal of most senior executives. Without sugarcoating, he cited the audit firm's report and broke down last year's Universal profits, exposing the management's collective negligence and rampant corruption. He warned employees that Universal was teetering on the brink due to these "parasites," and that radical reforms -- akin to a radical healing -- were necessary to rebuild.
Third, he painted a hopeful vision for the future -- because a competent capitalist must be a master at inspiring hope. He shared his plans to transform Universal into a top-tier media conglomerate, setting a goal of over $1 billion in profits next year, and promising every employee a pay raise of at least 20%.
During his talk, Linton subtly deployed his Soul Induction ability alongside a content-rich speech with great emotional appeal. In the brief fifteen minutes, especially during the optimistic closing, the audience interrupted him five times with enthusiastic applause. Employee confidence and enthusiasm replaced previous anxiety and uncertainty.
Sitting beside Linton, Scott, Bob, Mary, Klinsman, Megan, Daniel, and Levitt were all impressed and amazed by the owner's charisma.
Nearby, assistant Meena and Li Xiaoran, who had been serving throughout the meeting, transformed into giddy fans, eyes shining in admiration as they looked at Linton.
---
After the meeting, Linton held private talks with Daniel and Levitt. He sternly reminded them that, although he hadn't reprimanded them earlier, past mistakes were serious and would no longer be tolerated. He urged them to take this opportunity to clean up their departments, fix work ethics, and, above all, deliver results.
With the Christmas season approaching -- a peak time for movies and music sales -- he expected concrete action and achievements to satisfy him. The newly launched overseas release of Scream particularly needed strong distribution to replicate its North American success.
Scream had been doing well: after 12 days, it grossed $81.07 million domestically. Its overseas rollout began on November 10 in the first 10 countries and territories, earning $38.71 million during its opening weekend.
Levitt's performance demonstrated he was professionally capable and committed, unaffected by recent company changes -- qualities Linton valued -- though he still made sure Levitt understood the stakes.
Walking out of Linton's office, both Daniel and Levitt broke into cold sweats from the intense warning, silently vowing to stay out of trouble and strive harder for better results.
---
Linton finally breathed a sigh of relief. As long as these key positions remained stable -- plus Daniel, head of Universal Records, and Levitt, director of distribution's solid work -- Universal's headquarters would avoid major problems and soon get back on track.
Other positions could be adjusted gradually. Next, the focus would shift to tackling each subsidiary.
At that moment, assistants Meena and Li Xiaoran hurried into the office. Meena busied herself pouring tea, while Li Xiaoran, eager to be helpful, stood behind Linton giving him a shoulder massage.
After a few days as Linton's assistant, Li Xiaoran had realized she couldn't help solve any complex problems and felt almost useless. After some thought, she discovered that giving massages was something she could do well, thanks to her years of dance training. Her strong, skillful fingers made the massage quite effective.
Linton's reaction?
One word: blissful.
Two words: completely relaxed.
---
Meanwhile, in a conference room on another floor, 19 former Universal executives were signing severance agreements with a legal team led by Goodman.
Linton hadn't made things difficult for them -- no demands for recovering stolen funds, no non-compete clauses. He only required nondisclosure agreements, binding them to keep quiet about their departures and forbidding defamation of Universal outside. He warned that breaking these terms wouldn't just mean financial penalties, but possible criminal charges, with the police ready to get involved.
---
An hour later, Linton and his group arrived at MCA Television, accompanied by new office director Megan.
MCA Television's headquarters wasn't at Universal Square but in an independent eight-story building in Burbank.
Founded in the 1930s, MCA Television had over 60 years of history. Its reach and influence were decent but not impressive. Compared to the "Big Four" networks, it lagged far behind, and had even been overtaken by the fast-rising UPN network.
MCA Television covered 50% of its target American audience, had a complete organizational structure, a rich television rights library, and more than 300 employees. It was Universal's one of most important subsidiary.
Despite these advantages, MCA Television only made $11 million in profit last year, and under $8 million in the first nine months this year.
Considering UPN's profit target this year was a staggering $2 billion, MCA Television's management issues were clearly severe.
Therefore, MCA Television was Linton's choice for his first subsidiary overhaul.
MCA Television's president, Cardens, had been dismissed yesterday, and Vice President Stanton was now acting as interim head. After receiving the news, Stanton came downstairs with the company's middle managers, all visibly nervous.
...
This time, Linton didn't launch a sweeping purge. Instead, he held an all-staff meeting and delivered a speech built on four points:
First, he explained the reason for Cardens's removal and urged employees not to pay attention to rumors and media speculation. Under Stanton's leadership, they needed to unite, overcome difficulties, and focus on their tasks.
Second, he bluntly criticized MCA Television's shortcomings: with such great resources, their ratings and profit margins fell far short of expectations.
Third, he shared his hopes and requirements for MCA Television, citing UPN's rapid rise as an example. He urged everyone to rally and change, assuring that Universal Group would provide matching policies and resources. As MCA Television's performance improved, pay raises and promotions would follow naturally.
Fourth, he emphasized leadership conduct, openly stating he would scrutinize company executives closely. Good performers would be promoted, poor ones replaced immediately, and corruption would not be tolerated at all -- there would be no mercy.
His frank, direct style won enthusiastic support from front-line staff and reinvigorated morale, while ramping up tremendous pressure and motivation among the management team.
After the meeting, Linton held individual talks with 11 directors and above within MCA Television, delivering stern warnings and listing names for future dismissal or reassignment.
With his approach clear, the company was set on a path to recovery.
*****
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