The Park (Evenstad Media Presents Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

MEDIA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
    11/13/2071
    PAGE 6
     
    N. EVENSTAD (cont.): moneymaking machine.
    S. CALDER: And the worst public image we'll have ever had.
    N. EVENSTAD: Not if we play it right, Sarah. You know it's
all in the marketing.
    S. CALDER: And I know that marketing can only do so much.
You're talking about a game where even the winner comes out in need of therapy.
How do you think the public is going to react to that?
    N. EVENSTAD: The same way they react to a car crash. They'll
watch it, and then they'll keep watching as long as possible. Which is once a
week. And the winner will be compensated a small fortune for their
participation.
    M. GRAND: I don't think the psychological trauma will be all
that intense. That was one of Mr. Evenstad's key concerns when he presented the
premise of the experiment to me. I won't say that the winner, or anyone, will
come out of it in perfect mental health, but I hardly think anyone can expect
that with an experiment of this nature.
    N. EVENSTAD: You see. As I've told you all several times,
I've been through the psychological ramifications of the experience in depth.
In your folders, you'll find a complete copy of Dr. Grand's thoughts on the
matter.
    S. CALDER: I still don't agree with this, Niels.
    N. EVENSTAD: You don't have to agree with it, Sarah. We've
taken a vote. The show will go into production. And I am personally done
humoring further discussion of this matter. There are more pressing things to
go over.
    D. YOSTER: I agree. My people have gone through the current
proposal for this show and, according to the numbers that you have given as an
estimate, there's hardly any profit in this for us.
    N. EVENSTAD: I had your department run the numbers as well.
And I agreed with you. Which is why I am making an addition to the initial
proposal. Online content. Special, extended footage. Obviously, we'll have
hundreds of hours of footage that we can't put into the weekly shows. But, for
a small fee, any fan can have access to any of the footage our cameras record.
I had your department run the numbers with that included, and the profits are
considerably prettier to look at, even if only ten percent of our expected
viewership subscribes to the program.
    D. YOSTER: How much prettier?
    N. EVENSTAD: An increase in profits of about seventy-five
percent. Possibly more, depending on our final decisions on the matter.
    D. YOSTER: That is impressive, Niels. But there are much
more efficient ways of making more money on this program. I mean, the current
proposal involves acquiring a truly massive amount of empty land, one-hundred
mobile homes, and more than a years' supply of food for these twelve mystery
contestants, plus electricity and water and construction costs. And these
energy storage units. That's a six-figure cost alone.
    N. EVENSTAD: I'm currently in negotiations with my brother
Frederick. When this show airs, it will be an excellent chance for Evenstad
Technologies to debut their technology. And there's no better stage than
national primetime. I believe we can use that to get a greatly reduced price on
the CESUs.
    D. YOSTER: And the land? Leave alone the fact that we have
to find empty land not owned by the government, the average cost of an acre is
over ten-thousand, right now. Something has to be sacrificed, if this is to be
a true moneymaking machine, as you claim.
    N. EVENSTAD: I'm sure we can find a compromise.

JOURNAL 09TINA
    ENTRY 003
    DATE: 1/11/2074
     
    I can't take this crap anymore. I'm starting to see things,
cooped up like this. I don't care if it's safe, according to logic. Logic
obviously isn't working anymore. No matter what I tell myself, no matter what I
actually know to be true, there's this big, heavy ball of fear and worry and
angst and shit that just sits there in my stomach and grows and throbs.
    I don't think there's any way out, either. I think this is
my life, until I die. I tried to break out, but I wasn't willing to go out
close to the edge and