Regarding Ralph Baruch's book ...

In my opinion, your comments regarding the book were totally within your purview as publisher of VideoAge. You witnessed firsthand many of the events that Ralph wrote about and therefore have the right to comment on Ralph's perspective and how effectively, or accurately, He recalled those events and the perspective in which he viewed those events.

I was very moved by his recitation of past events. I know that, for me, Ralph put a lot of what happened into a fuller picture, and it represents an important document in the growth and history of the industry, the companies he was an important part of, [a testament to] his important role in so many factors of this business--worldwide. I thought your comments were yours to make and by and large I believe you gave Ralph's book a favorable review (which, I too, felt it deserved). Your getting into the issue of Ralph's advertising support of VideoAge, and you personally, I thought was misplaced. You have every right to make that point if you think publishing it is a prudent thing to do. However, within the context of reviewing Ralph's book--a perspective of a man's body of work and his significant contributions to our industry over his lifetime to date--in my view, is not the proper place to express your personal past issues. It would be [advantageous] for a newsman delivering the hard news to report it unbiased, and then, if he, or she wants, to give a personal "commentary""--appropriately labeled--as his personal point of view. This way the reader, or the viewer, continues to trust the professional reporting of the newsperson, or the publisher, and separately gets to read, or hear, their personal point of view.

Larry Gershman, Los Angeles

I just read your article on Ralph Baruch ... It was excellent!!!

Seriously, you pulled no punches and were refreshingly honest and sincere.

Anthony D. Friscia, Los Angeles