BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 05: A worker stands in the window of a Huawei store in a commercial area on November 5, 2024 in Beijing, China. Later this week China's government is expected to announce new fiscal measures aimed at boosting economic growth and consumer spending in the worlds second largest economy. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
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The great John Malone was there in the early days of cable television. Which is why his memoir, Born to Be Wired, is so insightful. But also depressing.
From Malone readers learn about the myriad hurdles local politicians erected to cable companies as they sought to offer viewing options beyond ABC, CBS and NBC. Malone recalls how “companies spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on advertising, presentations, and expensive dinners to woo a city.” This put local politicians in a lucrative position. Malone remembers the “extras” they would demand from would-be cable providers. Beyond simple “cash under the table,” they would ask “Can you plant trees in the city green? Can you build a small municipal building?”
Shenzhen-based executives of Huawei would no doubt understand Malone’s laments intimately. Which means Malone would understand what Huawei’s critics don’t.
