Unexpected Ratings
On game day, the area outside a large stadium in downtown Los Angeles was bustling with activity.
CBS's broadcast van was already in place.
Mark Thompson sat upright behind the anchor desk in the CBS studio, meticulously adjusting his tie. His eyes behind his glasses were calm and expressionless, but only he knew that he was still filled with strong resistance to this "low-class" task.
"Welcome, viewers, to CBS's coverage of the Los Angeles DDR City Championship qualifiers. We now Wired our field correspondent, Sarah Chen, to give us an on-site report."
His opening remarks were as professional as ever, but his voice was less inflective and more routine than when he was broadcasting serious news.
The screen switched, and reporter Sarah Chen's face appeared on the screen.
Behind her was a sea of people at the competition venue.
He Wired via headset with foreign correspondent Sarah Chen.
"Sarah, how's the situation on the ground?"
Sarah Chen's voice, though tinged with the noise of the scene, couldn't hide her excitement.
"Mark, you absolutely can't imagine the atmosphere here! It's packed with people, it's like a huge party!"
The camera then switches to the interior of the venue where Sarah is located.
Dazzling lights, deafening music, and a sea of excited heads instantly filled the screen.
The contestants were dressed in various styles, some in professional dancer costumes and others in casual everyday wear, but everyone's face was filled with excitement and anticipation.
On the judging panel, several dance experts who appeared to be quite professional sat upright.
Sarah's voice carried a hint of excitement, a result of being caught up in the atmosphere.
"The contestants were all of a very high caliber, and the judging panel included several well-known dance experts from Los Angeles."
Mark nodded politely, cleared his throat, and began what he considered a tedious and boring broadcast.
Good afternoon, viewers. We are now broadcasting live from the DDR Los Angeles City Championship qualifiers.
His tone was steady, but carried a hint of formulaic perfunctoriness.
However, as the competition progressed, the performance of some players began to surprise him.
They weren't just mechanically stepping on the arrows.
Many people have cleverly incorporated challenging street dance moves, Latin dance spins, and even the elegant postures of ballet into DDR's dance steps.
The arrow indicators on the game screen seemed to act as a catalyst for them to showcase their individual dance talents.
That kind of physical coordination, that stage presence perfectly synchronized with the rhythm of the music, made Mark's opinion on the game change for the first time.
The live stream proceeded smoothly.
Suddenly, the director's urgent voice came through the headset.
"Mark! Mark! The ratings! The ratings are off the charts!"
Mark frowned slightly, instinctively turning off the Mike and whispering into the intercom, "Calm down,"
"Bob, what's going on? Don't jump to conclusions." He thought the director was making fun of him.
"It's true, Mark! Our ratings for this time slot are climbing at an astonishing rate! They've already surpassed the ratings for the preseason football game on the other channel!"
The atmosphere in the studio froze instantly.
The staff members who had been talking in hushed tones stared wide-eyed in disbelief, the only sound in the air the faint noise of the machines running.
Immediately afterwards, the front desk phone started ringing incessantly.
Viewers kept calling to inquire about the details of the match, and some even requested that the TV station arrange a rebroadcast.
Mark Thompson was stunned.
He watched the young people on the screen, sweating and dancing with abandon, and the audience below cheering wildly.
Then, considering the unbelievable viewership figures mentioned by the director...
A powerful shock, shattering his preconceived notions.
This "dancing and stepping on arrows game" that he had always looked down upon seemed to contain a tremendous energy that he had failed to perceive.
He began to carefully examine everything on the screen.
Taking advantage of the break in GG's broadcast, Mark immediately connected Wired Sarah, his tone unconsciously becoming much more serious. "Sarah, interview a few more outstanding contestants, and the judges. I want to know their opinions on DDR, why they participated, and their backstories—the more detailed the better."
After hanging up the call, Mark quickly instructed his assistant, "Quickly, get me more information about DDR—about street dance culture, esports, and the background information of the dance experts on the judging panel. The sooner the better!"
In his subsequent broadcasts, Mark's tone was clearly imbued with genuine emotion.
He began to combine the information he had just absorbed with an attempt to introduce the cultural origins of different dance steps in DDR, analyze the technical characteristics and on-the-spot reactions of the dancers, and even make simple comments on the completion of some high-difficulty moves.
He began to understand, more or less, why this seemingly simple game could attract so many people to get involved and become obsessed with it.
He realized that this was more than just a game, a show, or a competition; it might be the perfect opportunity for Mark Thompson to shed his "unlucky guy" label and make a triumphant comeback.
The Los Angeles City Championship concluded successfully amidst cheers.
When the ratings were released that night, the entire CBS Television was shaken.
DDR's live broadcast not only crushed all competitors in the same time slot, but also set a record for the highest viewership in that time slot in nearly half a year.
For the first time, Mark Thompson's name was closely associated with terms like "ratings miracle" and "phenomenal program."
He keenly perceived that the potential of DDR, and the energy of the emerging field of esports, had not yet been fully explored.
He, however, seemed to have unexpectedly caught the crest of the wave of the times.
The next morning, Mark took the initiative and knocked on the door of his department head's office.
"I suggest we produce an in-depth interview with the Los Angeles city champion."
"Furthermore, at least two match replays will be scheduled this week."
"More importantly," Mark looked at his supervisor, his eyes resolute, "I believe CBS should do everything in its power to secure full coverage of the World Championship Finals, and even the live broadcast rights to the Tokyo Finals."
The supervisor looked at Mark with a complicated expression.
He knew that many people within the station had their eyes on the suddenly emerging "hot" market of DDR memory.
Some colleagues who initially dismissed the project, or even waited to see Mark fail, are now starting to lobby and make their own moves.
They are trying to get a share of this huge success.
The supervisor tentatively asked, "Then I'll assign the interview and replay to Mark." Before the supervisor could finish speaking, he was interrupted.
"Sir, I was the first to see its potential, and it was I who captured the audience's hearts during the live broadcast. Of course, I was responsible for the interviews and rebroadcasts."
Ultimately, Mark argued his case based on the fact that he was initially "forced" to take on the project and his impeccable professionalism during the live broadcast. The TV station executives were impressed by DDR's astonishing earning power and its ability to generate buzz, and they also recognized Mark's outstanding performance in this report.
They agreed to Mark's follow-up plan.
Mark Thompson successfully maintained his dominance in DDR series reporting.
Mark let out a long sigh of relief as he walked out of his supervisor's office.
His team has already begun intensive preparations for an exclusive interview with the Los Angeles DDR champion.
Meanwhile, in more than a dozen other cities around the world, the DDR City Championship is also in full swing.