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American Morning

News Making Headlines 'Over There'

Aired June 20, 2003 - 07:46   ET

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

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


JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Harry Potter fans barely able to contain themselves this day, as they count down to the magic moment, 12:01 a.m. tomorrow. That's when "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" will finally be available to the general public.
It's a perfect time to go "Over There" to the birthplace of Harry Potter mania and check with our man, Richard Quest, wizards among Muggles at a London bookstore.

Good morning, my friend. How are you?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm in a bookstore, Jack. We've got to keep it down a bit. It's the sort of place where you -- look, I've got a little secret for you! There it is! There it is, an entire box of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." And I promise you, it says here, "Not for display or sale until the 21st of June." That is midnight tonight London time.

It is more that my job is worth, and certainly more than yours, for me to open that box and reveal any of the secrets within.

But, 13 million copies of that book have since been printed, distributed around the world, and from New Zealand through Asia right away across Europe, and at midnight tonight that goes on sale. It will make J.K. Rowling one of the wealthiest women on earth worth nearly half-a-billion dollars in all.

CAFFERTY: Just off this one book? Or is that the total take from all of the Harry Potter books? How big a deal is this?

CAFFERTY: This deal is huge. No, that's the total take from all of the books. Anything gets sold some 200 million copies of the editions or copies of the book over the previous four editions. Remember, they are the "Philosopher's Stone," "The Chamber of Secrets," "The Prisoner of Azkaban," and, of course, "The Goblet of Fire." I bet you couldn't have done that so quickly.

If you take all of those together and you put it in the worldwide context, these books have been translated into 55 languages, and they are available just about everywhere on the globe. And that is why the Harry Potter phenomenon is so significant. That is why this is the biggest publishing event in history.

CAFFERTY: Richard?

QUEST: And to put it in full context for you...

CAFFERTY: Richard?

QUEST: ... the full context, context, Jack, this has got nearly more...

CAFFERTY: Richard?

QUEST: ... words than the Bible.

CAFFERTY: Richard, why are you shouting?

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: He's in a bookstore. You can't...

CAFFERTY: I thought you were in a bookstore?

SERWER: You can't do that.

CAFFERTY: You're supposed to be quiet.

QUEST: Because it's the one and only chance I'll ever get the chance to shout in a bookstore!

CAFFERTY: One other note. At my age, I don't do anything quickly anymore OK? So leave it alone.

Now, there is a poll about you, Brits, that's been taken, and apparently you all admit to being a bit dishonest. What can you tell us about that?

QUEST: Oh, I think it's more than just a bit dishonest, Jack. Sixty-five percent of British people say they would get on a train without a ticket. That compares with 35 percent of most normal Europeans. Sixty percent said they would steal the office stapes and the stationery, compared to -- this is the best of it. Thirty percent of all Brits say they would make off with the towels from a hotel.

CAFFERTY: Have you ever done any of those things on that list, Richard?

QUEST: Come down to my place, Jack.

CAFFERTY: All right, things to remember when I make my trip across the pond. Thank you, good friend. Richard Quest "Over There" every Friday on AMERICAN MORNING. Have a good weekend, and I'll talk to you in seven days.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired June 20, 2003 - 07:46   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Harry Potter fans barely able to contain themselves this day, as they count down to the magic moment, 12:01 a.m. tomorrow. That's when "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" will finally be available to the general public.
It's a perfect time to go "Over There" to the birthplace of Harry Potter mania and check with our man, Richard Quest, wizards among Muggles at a London bookstore.

Good morning, my friend. How are you?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm in a bookstore, Jack. We've got to keep it down a bit. It's the sort of place where you -- look, I've got a little secret for you! There it is! There it is, an entire box of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." And I promise you, it says here, "Not for display or sale until the 21st of June." That is midnight tonight London time.

It is more that my job is worth, and certainly more than yours, for me to open that box and reveal any of the secrets within.

But, 13 million copies of that book have since been printed, distributed around the world, and from New Zealand through Asia right away across Europe, and at midnight tonight that goes on sale. It will make J.K. Rowling one of the wealthiest women on earth worth nearly half-a-billion dollars in all.

CAFFERTY: Just off this one book? Or is that the total take from all of the Harry Potter books? How big a deal is this?

CAFFERTY: This deal is huge. No, that's the total take from all of the books. Anything gets sold some 200 million copies of the editions or copies of the book over the previous four editions. Remember, they are the "Philosopher's Stone," "The Chamber of Secrets," "The Prisoner of Azkaban," and, of course, "The Goblet of Fire." I bet you couldn't have done that so quickly.

If you take all of those together and you put it in the worldwide context, these books have been translated into 55 languages, and they are available just about everywhere on the globe. And that is why the Harry Potter phenomenon is so significant. That is why this is the biggest publishing event in history.

CAFFERTY: Richard?

QUEST: And to put it in full context for you...

CAFFERTY: Richard?

QUEST: ... the full context, context, Jack, this has got nearly more...

CAFFERTY: Richard?

QUEST: ... words than the Bible.

CAFFERTY: Richard, why are you shouting?

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: He's in a bookstore. You can't...

CAFFERTY: I thought you were in a bookstore?

SERWER: You can't do that.

CAFFERTY: You're supposed to be quiet.

QUEST: Because it's the one and only chance I'll ever get the chance to shout in a bookstore!

CAFFERTY: One other note. At my age, I don't do anything quickly anymore OK? So leave it alone.

Now, there is a poll about you, Brits, that's been taken, and apparently you all admit to being a bit dishonest. What can you tell us about that?

QUEST: Oh, I think it's more than just a bit dishonest, Jack. Sixty-five percent of British people say they would get on a train without a ticket. That compares with 35 percent of most normal Europeans. Sixty percent said they would steal the office stapes and the stationery, compared to -- this is the best of it. Thirty percent of all Brits say they would make off with the towels from a hotel.

CAFFERTY: Have you ever done any of those things on that list, Richard?

QUEST: Come down to my place, Jack.

CAFFERTY: All right, things to remember when I make my trip across the pond. Thank you, good friend. Richard Quest "Over There" every Friday on AMERICAN MORNING. Have a good weekend, and I'll talk to you in seven days.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.