Daily Variety

“The Journalism of Adoration” by Charles Fleming (Opinion, May 20) represents a fuzzy analysis of entertainment journalism that obscures the line between so-called celebrity journalism and the sort of business journalism practiced by Daily Variety. At Daily Variety there is no “blur” (Fleming’s word) between news and advertising, as he suggests. The lines are at least as clear as they are at The Times.

Further, to quote some unnamed executive suggesting that he thinks of Daily Variety as an “extension” of his studio marketing department without any chance for rebuttal is simply irresponsible. Finally, most publications carry “special sections”; hence to suggest that their contents influence overall coverage at Daily Variety any more than they do at, say, the Economist, is simply ludicrous. If The Times wishes to comment on the practice of journalism, then it should do so with a higher level of clarity and responsibility.

Peter Bart

Editor, Daily Variety

Los Angeles