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Jill Abramson's Speech at College; Michael Jackson Returns as a Hologram; Big Consumer Fears over AT&T, DirecTV Deal

Aired May 19, 2014 - 10:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Drew Griffin reporting live from Washington. Thanks so much.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, Jill Abramson speaking out publicly for the first time since getting fired from "The New York Times" -- she had some things to say at commencement speech this morning.

CNN's Alexandra Field is following the story. Good morning.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning Carol.

A couple of personal anecdotes from Abramson also she talks a little bit about her plans for what could be next. We'll talk more about it coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Moments ago the fired executive editor of "The New York Times" Jill Abramson broke her silence during a commencement address at Wake Forest University. It was her first public appearance since her controversial departure and Abramson gave some advice to graduates.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JILL ABRAMSON, FORMER NEW YORK TIMES EXECUTIVE EDITOR: I'm talking to anyone who has been dumped, you bet not gotten the job you really wanted or received those horrible rejection letters from grad school. You know the sting of losing or not getting something you badly want. When that happens, show what you are made of.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Show what you are made of she said. Abramson's sudden dismissal from the "Times" forced many people to speculate she was ousted because of sexism.

Let's bring in CNN's Alexandra Field to tell us more about the big speech today. Good morning.

FIELD: Carol no details in this speech about why she was fired from "The New York Times". We didn't hear her mount any kind of defense. But she did certainly acknowledge that the situation right-off the bat. One of the first things she did joking with the graduate is that the media circle that has descended on Wake Forest University must certainly have something to do with celebrating their accomplishments.

Themes of the speech included resilience. You heard her talk a bit about how to move forward following the sting of rejection -- something that she is now familiar with. She also at one point called the "Times" an important and irreplaceable institution. She told the graduates it was the honor of her life to lead the newsroom and then she told them why it would always be literally a part of her. Here's what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABRAMSON: A couple of students who I was talking to last night after I arrived, they know that I have some tattoos. And one of them asked me are you going to get that "Times" "t" that you have tattooed on your back removed. Not a chance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FIELD: And several times in that speech Abramson did talk about being fired from the "Times" at one point she said losing a job you love hurts. But again Carol we didn't hear anymore of her side about why she was dismissed.

COSTELLO: I think that what she said was really valuable to students and something that they really need to hear because you know we're all going to fail at some point in our lives and can see this woman bouncing back. Did she give any clues as to what her next step would be?

FIELD: She talked about being very passionate about the work that she had done, her love of journalism and at one point she said that was certainly the kind of work that she was going to continue but specifically is what is next for Jill Abramson. She had an opportunity to insert a joke there. And here is what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABRAMSON: What's -- what's next for me? I don't know. So I'm in exactly the same boat as many of you. Like you, I am a little scared but also excited.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FIELD: Abramson also said that she would be stopping by the career counselor's office before she left campus. So, as I told you adding a little bit of light to what has certainly been a dark week for her.

COSTELLO: It certainly has. Alexandra Field thanks so much.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, a creepy performance at the Billboard Music Awards. Michael Jackson makes his debut as a hologram.

NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Yes Carol you know we all remember when Michael Jackson moonwalked into our living room but do you remember where he was when he hologram into it? We'll dissect that coming up. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: At last night's Billboard Music Awards, Michael Jackson made a very creepy return to the stage as a hologram.

(MUSIC)

COSTELLO: Creepy right? It looks real, the reaction on social media ranged from joy to downright disappointment. Nischelle Turner live in Los Angeles. I don't know how I feel about this actually.

TURNER: Well Carol Costello I think this is going to be the dayside version of "Crossfire". I don't know if you want to be Stephanie, S.C., Van or Newt because I didn't think it was creepy really. I really didn't. I thought it was more -- yes I thought it was more on the fascinating side. I mean I was looking I was kind of just really in a trance watching it.

But I do think that I have seen better holograms done with different --

COSTELLO: You have.

TURNER: I will give you this. Yes I will give you this thought, the moves were eerie. They were very eerie and he was performing if you can hear his new hit "Slave to the Rhythm" it's off his posthumous album "Escape" which by the way debuted at number one in 50 countries last week.

The performance was actually produced by Michael's estate and I saw a couple of interviews with his brothers on the red carpet before the Billboard Music Awards. And Carol they hadn't even seen the hologram yet like much of us, like many of us. They were watching it for the first time there on the stage. It brought tears to the eyes of quite a few fans in the audience. I don't know if you're watching last night.

You mentioned social media. The reaction was definitely mixed there. I was monitoring last night. And some people were expressing shock. They thought it looked very lifelike. Other people said they thought it was downright distasteful and disrespectful.

But according to the show's producer this performance was the result of nearly six months of planning and filming but it almost didn't happen because just Friday a judge dismissed a case brought by the hologram company to stop this performance because they claim that Billboard didn't have the permission to use this technology. So it almost didn't happen.

COSTELLO: I just think that -- and I know the family approved of this, right? But did Michael Jackson --

TURNER: Yes.

COSTELLO: -- he didn't have a say in this because he's no longer with us. It just seems wrong to me in a sense. TURNER: Yes I hear what you're saying. And I actually understand what you're thinking of, especially when people are hardcore fans of Michael. They -- I can understand how they would think it was very, very jarring. I'm a big fan of his. I didn't quite feel that way.

But you know, this isn't the first time that a performer has been kind of -- I don't know how to say technologically raised from the dead.

COSTELLO: Right.

TURNER: In 2012, there was a hologram version if you remember of Tupac Shakur the rapper that performed at the Coachella Music Festival. I thought that one was very lifelike. That one was jarring to me maybe because it was really kind of the first time I had seen it. But it also -- they also used it back in 2007 on "American Idol" if you remember when they brought Elvis out to sing a duet with Celine Dion. That one Carol I thought was creepy.

COSTELLO: Maybe it's because I really did grow up with Michael Jackson. I actually went to one of his concerts on the "Bad Tour" and he was just such as terrific performer. And --

TURNER: Me too.

COSTELLO: It was great, wasn't it? Maybe I should be more generous and say hey at least people got a taste of what it might have been like to see Michael Jackson in concert.

TURNER: Yes.

COSTELLO: But still, it gives me goose bumps.

TURNER: The idea is jarring. It's jarring. You kind of want to let people rest in peace. I do get that.

COSTELLO: At least he wasn't selling chocolate. You know, like -- no there's an Audrey Hepburn thing out now isn't she's selling chocolate in that?

TURNER: Yes, yes it's yes. We just leave that at that.

COSTELLO: OK. Nischelle Turner, thanks so much.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM --

(CROSSTALK)

TURNER: All right.

COSTELLO: -- a megamerger takes shape and consumer advocates take notice. CNN's Christine Romans on what it could mean to you. Good morning.

1045

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. Log on, tune in, watching your favorites shows. Now a very big merger: AT&T, DirecTV -- what will it mean for your pocketbooks. That after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Log on, tune in and pay up. AT&T wants to buy DirecTV, the nation's biggest satellite TV providers. And their promises are almost as big as the $48 billion price tag. The new mega giant they say could take TV and wireless to the next level. That means for example you could soon watch the same things in your car as in your living room, which would be really, really safe, right?

Right away AT&T says the new giant would give consumers one stop shopping for phone, TV and Internet service. That means we could bundle services from a single provider. But consumer advocates say less competition will drive up prices for all of those things we now see as essential.

Chief business correspondent Christine Romans is here to break it down for us. Good morning, Christine.

ROMANS: Good morning Carol. What the deal means immediately for say DirecTV users is no change. That's what AT&T is promising. No change right away for DirecTV users for three years. Same price packaging; same everything for three years. What their pitch is here for AT&T users is more easily packaged bundles for TV and Internet as you mentioned. But it means fewer players in the markets where AT&T and DirecTV offer TV. The big question, Carol, is do fewer choices mean higher prices? That's something Senatorial Al Franken is worried about. Listen.

SEN. AL FRANKEN (D), MINNESOTA: There's a proper role for Department of Justice to look at this as an antitrust matter and for the FCC to look at this is it in the public interest? I say now, it isn't in the public interest. And yes, this is a violation of antitrust.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: He was on "NEW DAY" with us this morning -- Carol. And you know, AT&T trying to get regulators on its side promising to expand broadband to 15 million homes and buildings mostly in rural areas, that's a priority of the Obama administration.

But let's face it. Carol, prices have only been going up in this space for years. Rates for premium TV are going up about 6 percent a year. That's way more than general inflation. And there's really no promises here that they won't continue to rise.

But could consolidation help? So one argument is that a bigger AT&T would have power to negotiate better rates from content providers. It doesn't mean maybe the consumers will get that savings. But consolidation is what's happening in this space.

I mean look -- look at all the different deals we've had. Comcast/Time Warner; rumors and talk about Sprint Wanting T-Mobile. There's been rapid consolidation here. I think that's definitely the path of least resistance for these companies.

COSTELLO: Well. And we should mention none of this is a done deal -- right.

ROMANS: No regulators have to approve this. That's a long road ahead.

COSTELLO: All right, Christine Romans. Many thanks.

ROMANS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Just minutes ago, Attorney-General Eric Holder reveals details of a milestone legal case. A grand jury in Pennsylvania has indicted five Chinese military officers. They're charged with cyber- spying on U.S. companies.

China's hacking of the companies computers to steal trade secrets is believed to be a widespread problem. But it's the very first time the U.S. has actually filed charges against officials in China's government.

American labor unions were also supposedly targeted by these Chinese Hackers.

Greens, fried ochra and neckbones -- CNN's Anthony Bourdain traveled to Mississippi for last night's episode of the hit show "PARTS UNKNOWN". He addressed stereotypes some people have about the area and, of course, he tried the unique foods you can only find in the Delta. He talked with Anderson Cooper about his journey.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY BOURDAIN, CNN "PARTS UNKNOWN": It's a beautiful place. And look, I like going to a place where I sort of blunder about a Yankee at a place that sure doesn't -- has nothing to hear from or learn from Yankees.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: How was the food? What's the food?

BOURDAIN: Food's awesome. It was great. Not as awesome as New York.

COOPER: I went down there (inaudible) she was like -- everything was covered in sugar and fried and --

BOURDAIN: You know, that's not true also. Where did the food that we call southern down home old school southern cooking, where did that come from? Who created that food? What we're calling southern food now on TV, how was that different than -- is it the real thing or is it a mutation?

The traditional southern cooking in its purest and earliest form and over time was a very different and often healthier thing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: It's making me hungry. You can join Anthony Bourdain in Punjab India tonight in another episode of "PARTS UNKNOWN" at 9:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific right here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Checking some top stories at 56 minutes past -- the terror group behind the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian school girls is making a new threat. Boko Haram is targeting an all boys secondary school in the same state where those girls were abducted more than a month ago. Nigerian police have been ordered to tighten security around all boarding schools in the region.

A woman who dropped out of college is accused of calling in two bomb threats so her parents wouldn't find out she wasn't graduating. Police say Danielle Shay confessed to the whole thing trying to get Quinnipiac University to cancel graduation ceremonies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They said there was some kind of a bomb scare or a bomb threat and they moved it up here and so it was another delay, delay. But everything worked out fine and we're just thankful that nobody was hurt and everybody understood.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Police say they were able to trace the calls back to Shay's cell phone and of course, she's in big trouble now.

California Chrome's quest for horse racing history is apparently back on after a reported decision from New York racing officials. According to reports the three-year-old will be allowed to wear the nasal strips that he has worn during a six-race win streak. If Chrome wins next month's Belmont Stakes, he'll be the first horse to take the Triple Crown since 1978.

CNN Sports' Brian McFayden is here with more. Good morning.

BRIAN MCFAYDEN, CNN SPORTS: Good morning -- Carol. That's pretty incredible. I didn't think that they were actually going to allow him to wear the nasal strips because two years ago "I'll Have Another" was on the brink of the Triple Crown. He won the derby, he won Preakness and they asked (inaudible) Belmont if they could have permission to wear nasal strips and they said no. But at the end it didn't really matter because the horse had to pull out because of an injured leg.

That's pretty interesting. This horse California Chrome has become such a household name to the point where now I'm a horse connoisseur, I'm racing connoisseur and his owner Steve Coburn, believed in the horse from the beginning. Even had premonitions before the horse was even born.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE COBURN, HORSE OWNER: I saw him when he was a day old. I saw him in a dream three weeks prior to that and he was exactly like my dream. I told my wife, I said, this horse is going to do big things. I don't know what but he's going to do big things. He's proven us right so far. We believe in our horse. We believe in our trainer. He is proving to America right now that he's America's horse.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCFAYDEN: A big name. Such a huge name. California Chrome will be the first Cali-bred horse to win the derby. He has a chance to -- he's on the precipice of winning the Triple Crown. I'm very, very impressed with this horse. Little guy like Seabiscuit.

COSTELLO: I'm impressed with the horse and the owners because they're so down to earth and the horse just cost $10,000 and not millions of dollars like normal. It's amazing.

MCFAYDEN: If you think about it, the owner looks like an owner of a horse.

COSTELLO: He does. Brian McFayden -- thanks so much.

And Thank you for joining me today. I'm Carol Costello.

"@ THIS HOUR WITH BERMAN AND MICHAELA" starts now.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN HOST: FBI agent kicking down some digital doors at this hour, busting dozens of alleged cyber criminals accused of invading your home through your computer and using it to steal from you and spy on you.