''Video'' is a discontinued American
consumer electronics
Consumer electronics or home electronics are electronic ( analog or digital) equipment intended for everyday use, typically in private homes. Consumer electronics include devices used for entertainment, communications and recreation. Usuall ...
magazine that was published from 1977 to 1999 by Reese Communications with a focus on
video
Video is an electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving visual media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, which were quickly replaced by cathode-ray tube (CRT) syst ...
and audio devices. The magazine showcases new audiovisual products, analyzes current practices and trends in the field, and provides critical reviews of newly marketed products and equipment. During its early years, it competed fiercely with contemporary journals like ''Video Review'' and ''Video Buyer's Review''—ultimately culminating in a 1980 trademark infringement suit over use of the term "Video Buyer's Guide". In March 1995, ''Video'' was acquired from Reese by
Hachette Filipacchi Hachette may refer to:
* Hachette (surname)
* Hachette (publisher), a French publisher, the imprint of Lagardère Publishing
** Hachette Book Group, the American subsidiary
** Hachette Distribution Services, the distribution arm
See also
* Hachett ...
, and in 1999 it was merged with their bi-monthly ''Sound & Image'' magazine to become ''
Sound & Vision''.
Today, the legacy of ''Video'' lies in the history of
video game journalism
Video game journalism is a branch of journalism concerned with the reporting and discussion of video games, typically based on a core "reveal–preview–review" cycle. With the prevalence and rise of independent media online, online publicati ...
as its regular column, "Arcade Alley", represents the earliest example of a video game column in a mainstream publication. Arcade Alley is credited with having popularized the nascent medium, leading its two main writers to create the first US video game magazine, ''
Electronic Games
An electronic game is a game that uses electronics to create an interactive system with which a player can play. Video games are the most common form today, and for this reason the two terms are often used interchangeably. There are other common ...
''.
History
''Video'' was founded in 1977 by Reese Communications
publisher
Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...
Jay Rosenfield with a small team including editors Rena Adler and Deeny Kaplan,
marketing director
A chief marketing officer (CMO), also called a global marketing officer or marketing director, or chief brand officer, is a corporate executive responsible for managing marketing activities in an organization. Whilst historically these titles may ...
Thomas Koger,
circulation director Max H. Wolff, and contributors including Kenneth Lorber, Dee Shannon, Wayne Hyde, and Ivan Berger and Lancelot Braithwaite. The magazine's first issue was published in November 1977 with subsequent issues appearing quarterly for the first three years until 1980 when it became a monthly publication. The last issue of each year was a special edition titled "Video Buyer's Guide" which was intended to serve as a guide to products that consumers would be using during the upcoming year, thus the special Buyer's Guide published at the end of 1977 was titled "1978 Video Buyer's Guide". The buyer's guide proved popular among readers, selling 18,440 copies in 1977 and 25,635 copies in 1978.
[''Reese Publ'g Co. Inc. v. Hampton Int'l Commc'ns Inc.'' 620 ]F.2d
The ''Federal Reporter'' () is a case law reporter in the United States that is published by West Publishing and a part of the National Reporter System. It begins with cases decided in 1880; pre-1880 cases were later retroactively compiled by W ...
13 (2d Cir. 1980)
Competition sprang up rapidly and ''Video'' soon shared the consumer video magazine market with publications like Richard Ekstract's ''Video Review'', Hampton International Communications's ''Video Buyer's Review'', and United Business Publications's ''Home Video''. Richard Ekstract was widely regarded as an imitator by ''Video'' staffers including Arnie Katz who claimed that Ekstract's later-published ''
Electronic Fun'' was attempting to imitate Katz's ''
Electronic Games
An electronic game is a game that uses electronics to create an interactive system with which a player can play. Video games are the most common form today, and for this reason the two terms are often used interchangeably. There are other common ...
''.
By early 1979, however, marketing successes at ''Video'' prompted the hiring of several new staffers including
public relations
Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing and disseminating information from an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) to the public in order to influence their perception. ...
director Bruce Apar and national advertising director David Berns (assuming responsibility for this area from Rosenfield who had served as ''Video''s first advertising director). Berns's termination from this position only six months after he had been hired and his subsequent employment by competitor Hampton soon led to Hampton's publication of a competing buyer's guide also titled "Video Buyer's Guide"—an act that provoked Reese to file an unsuccessful lawsuit against Hampton for damage to their trademark.
[
In 1980, Bruce Apar became ]editor-in-chief
An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies.
The highest-ranking editor of a publication may also be titled editor, managing ...
and co-publisher alongside Rosenfield, and a number of structural and distribution changes took place for the magazine. Briefly anticipating a switch from quarterly to bi-monthly at the end of 1979,[ ''Video'' decided instead to publish on a monthly schedule. A number of semi-regular features were made into departments and ''Video'' added a new set of regular columns penned by contributors including Ken Winslow, Arnie Katz, Bill Smolen, Susan March, Susan Prentiss, Rod Woodcock, and Bill Kunkel among others. The publication of Katz and Kunkel's "Arcade Alley" as a regular ''Video'' column in 1980 has since become widely recognized as the first regular occurrence of consumer-oriented ]video game journalism
Video game journalism is a branch of journalism concerned with the reporting and discussion of video games, typically based on a core "reveal–preview–review" cycle. With the prevalence and rise of independent media online, online publicati ...
.[Cifaldi, Frank.]
Obituary: Video Game Journalism Pioneer Bill Kunkel
. ''Gamasutra
''Game Developer'', known as ''Gamasutra'' until 2021, is a website founded in 1997 that focuses on aspects of video game development. It is owned and operated by Informa and acts as the online sister publication to the print magazine '' Gam ...
''. September 6, 2011.
In 1982, additional changes were made to content structure with the addition of a Program Guide, and the magazine's format and layout were set with minimal changes for the next decade. In March 1995, ''Video'' was acquired from Reese by Hachette Filipacchi Hachette may refer to:
* Hachette (surname)
* Hachette (publisher), a French publisher, the imprint of Lagardère Publishing
** Hachette Book Group, the American subsidiary
** Hachette Distribution Services, the distribution arm
See also
* Hachett ...
, and in 1999 it was merged with their ''Stereo Review'' magazine to become '' Sound & Vision''.
''Reese Publishing Company v. Hampton International Communications''
The August 1979 legal filing by Reese Publishing Company against Hampton International Communications came at a time when competition between ''Video'' and rival publications ''Video Review'', ''Video Buyer's Review'', and ''Home Video'' over the emerging home video market had reached a flash point. It was precipitated directly by Hampton's hiring of ''Video''s recently terminated advertising director, David Berns, and the subsequent announcement of its intention to publish a buyer's guide titled "1980 Official Video Buyer's Guide". In its filing, Reese alleged injury to its "Video Buyer's Guide" trademark and requested preliminary injunctive and monetary relief
At common law, damages are a remedy in the form of a monetary award to be paid to a claimant as compensation for loss or injury. To warrant the award, the claimant must show that a breach of duty has caused foreseeable loss. To be recognised at ...
in anticipation of Hampton's publication of this similarly titled guide. On September 10, 1979, in a ruling for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (in case citations, E.D.N.Y.) is the federal district court whose territorial jurisdiction spans five counties in New York State: the four Long Island counties of Nassau, ...
, Judge George C. Pratt delivered a memorandum opinion holding "Video Buyer's Guide" to be a generic trademark
A generic trademark, also known as a genericized trademark or proprietary eponym, is a trademark or brand name that, because of its popularity or significance, has become the generic term for, or synonymous with, a general class of products or ...
, denying Reese's motion for injunctive relief, and dismissing the complaint against Hampton. Vindicated, Hampton released its buyer's guide shortly afterward under the title "Hampton's Official 1980 Video Buyer's Guide".[
Appealing the decision before the ]U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (in case citations, 2d Cir.) is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals. Its territory comprises the states of Connecticut, New York and Vermont. The court has appellate juri ...
in early 1980, Reese asserted that the lower court had abused its discretion in finding the trademark to be generic, that it had failed to provide Reese an adequate opportunity to present all evidence, that state claims were not adjudicated, and that other bases for enjoining Hampton's use of the mark had been ignored. The three-judge panel considered the mark's position relative to the spectrum of distinctiveness
Trademark distinctiveness is an important concept in the law governing trademarks and service marks. A trademark may be eligible for registration, or registrable, if it performs the essential trademark function, and has distinctive character. Re ...
recently expounded in the 1976 decision of '' Abercrombie & Fitch Co. v. Hunting World, Inc.'', and noted particularly the similarities between Reese's claims and those of CES (who in 1975 had sought unsuccessfully to protect their trademark for the term "Consumer Electronics") in ''CES Publishing Corp. v. St. Regis Publications, Inc.'' In a published opinion, Judge Wilfred Feinberg
Wilfred Feinberg (June 22, 1920 – July 31, 2014) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and previously was a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southe ...
affirmed the lower court decision and dismissed the case.[
]
Content
Launching in November 1977 and concluding in 1999, ''Video'' covers consumer electronics
Consumer electronics or home electronics are electronic ( analog or digital) equipment intended for everyday use, typically in private homes. Consumer electronics include devices used for entertainment, communications and recreation. Usuall ...
with a specific focus on the emerging home video
Home video is prerecorded media sold or rented for home viewing. The term originates from the VHS and Betamax era, when the predominant medium was videotapes, but has carried over to optical disc formats such as DVD, Blu-ray and streaming me ...
market. The magazine showcases new audiovisual products (e.g. TVs, VHS, and Laserdisc players), analyzes current practices and trends in the field, and critically reviews newly marketed products and equipment.[Gifford, Kevin.]
COLUMN: 'Game Mag Weaseling': In The Beginning...
. ''GameSetWatch
''Game Developer'', known as ''Gamasutra'' until 2021, is a website founded in 1997 that focuses on aspects of video game development. It is owned and operated by Informa and acts as the online sister publication to the print magazine '' Game ...
''. May 6, 2006. From 1977 to 1979 the magazine was published quarterly with an annual buyer's guide for the coming year published at the end of each year. Features were run irregularly to semi-regularly with "New Products", "Reader Feedback", and the "VideoTest Report" series (with tests conducted by technical editor
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, orga ...
s Ivan Berger and Lancelot Braithwaite) proving to be the most regular. Other repeated features during ''Video''s early years include "The Video Environment" written by Dee Shannon, "Video Workshop" written by Ken Lorber, and "Technical Q&A" written by Wayne Hyde.
In 1980, ''Video'' became a monthly publication and the new editor-in-chief, Bruce Apar, oversaw a number of format and layout changes with semi-regular features like "New Products" and "Reader Feedback" becoming departments, "VideoTest Report" becoming its own division, and with the creation of a half-dozen regular columns including "Channel One" written by Apar, "Video Programmer" written by Ken Winslow, "TV Den" by Bill Smolen, "VideoGram" by Susan March, "Fine Tuning" by Susan Prentiss and Roderick Woodcock, and "Arcade Alley" by Bill Kunkel and Arnie Katz. In 1982, the magazine layout was again altered, creating a new "Program Guide" division from former departments "Video Programming Guide/Program Directory", "Programming News & Views", "Top 50 Bestselling Titles, Sales & Rentals" (later renamed "Top 15" and then "Top 10"), and the new "Program Reviews". For the next decade, features and columns would come and go, but the overall format and layout would remain largely the same.
Arcade Alley
"''Arcade Alley – A Critical Look at Video Cartridge Games & Programs''" was a regular column in ''Video'' magazine, appearing quarterly in 1979 and monthly beginning in 1980, and ran until issue August 1984 (Volume VIII, Number 5). It was created by Bill Kunkel, Arnie Katz, and Joyce Worley, three New York-based friends with a common background in comics, professional wrestling, freelance journalism, and fanzine culture.[Federico, Chris.]
A Lifetime to Master - An Interview with Bill Kunkel
. ''Orphaned Computer & Game Systems''. June 14, 2002. Through professional connections, they became acquainted with ''Video''s director of public relations
Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing and disseminating information from an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) to the public in order to influence their perception. ...
, Bruce Apar, in the late 1970s and pitched to him the idea of a regular video game review column for ''Video''[ which, under the oversight of editor Deeny Kaplan, had been publishing a series of articles called "VideoTest Reports" that sporadically covered video game topics and reviewed collections of games. Apar was enthusiastic about the idea and approached Reese's publisher, Jay Rosenfield. He initially expressed concerns over whether there was enough interest in the new "sport" of "electronic gamesmanship" to justify a regular column on the topic. Despite these concerns, Rosenfield green-lighted the column which was inaugurated under the ambivalent philosophy of "we have nothing to lose", and the column proved to be a success among readers.][Apar, Bruce.]
Switch On! - A Message to Readers of E.G.
''Electronic Games
An electronic game is a game that uses electronics to create an interactive system with which a player can play. Video games are the most common form today, and for this reason the two terms are often used interchangeably. There are other common ...
''. Vol.1, No.1. Winter 1981.
Working in direct consultation with game designers, Kunkel, Katz, and Worley are credited with popularizing video games for commercial markets[ and normalizing the pastime of gaming in its earliest years.][Herman, Leonard. '' Phoenix: The Fall & Rise of Videogames''. Rolenta Press. 1997. .] During their time writing "Arcade Alley", both Kunkel and Katz contributed other articles to ''Video'' as well. Kunkel wrote one-off features and pieces on the then-new ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...
cable channel[Williams, Carl.]
The Game Doctor Is In...
. RetroMags.com. May 31, 2009. and the interactive gaming programs of the QUBE
QUBE was an experimental two-way, multi-programmed cable television system that played a significant role in the history of American interactive television. It was launched in Columbus, Ohio, on December 1, 1977. Highly publicized as a revolutio ...
cable channel,[ and Katz wrote "Televiews"—a television-specific column for ''Video''. Katz additionally wrote for and served as associate editor for the trade journal, '']Chain Store Age
A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A c ...
'',[ so for contractual reasons][Kunkel, Bill and Arnie Katz. "Arcade Alley - An Important Message for 'Arcade Alley' Fans". ''Video''. Vol.5, No.12. Pg.42. March 1982. .] and to avoid tarnishing his name as a serious tech journalist, writing credits for Arcade Alley were given to Kunkel and Katz under the pseudonym Frank T. Laney II. Aiming to review three games per column, Kunkel and Katz often found that their biggest difficulty was the size of the market which often failed to produce enough new titles to review and forced the reviewers to accept any and all games for review. In an interview with Gamasutra
''Game Developer'', known as ''Gamasutra'' until 2021, is a website founded in 1997 that focuses on aspects of video game development. It is owned and operated by Informa and acts as the online sister publication to the print magazine '' Gam ...
, Katz recalled that "we had to review every single game that Atari made because that was all there were".[ The depth of coverage given to the few titles available was notable for its time, and aspects interesting to the reader such as "]easter eggs
Easter eggs, also called Paschal eggs, are eggs that are decorated for the Christian feast of Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. As such, Easter eggs are common during the season of Eastertide (Easter season). The oldest tra ...
"—a term for hidden messages and inside jokes left by game programmers—were emphasized.[Stilphen, Scott.]
... Easter Egg Hunting with Bill Kunkel and Joyce Worley
. DigitPress.com. Accessed April 24, 2015.
Bruce Apar became editor-in-chief in 1980 and "Arcade Alley" grew from a quarterly to a monthly column in parallel with the expansion of ''Video''s publishing frequency. This year also marked the launch of the Arkie Awards
An electronic game is a game that uses electronics to create an interactive system with which a player can play. Video games are the most common form today, and for this reason the two terms are often used interchangeably. There are other common ...
—a yearly award naming a Game of the Year
Game of the Year (GotY) is an award given by various award events and media publications to a video game that they feel represented the pinnacle of gaming that year.
Events and ceremonies
British Academy Games Awards (BAFTA Games Awards)
...
for both home console and PC platforms, and honoring video games from the previous year for excellence in categories such as Innovation, Gameplay (Competition, Solitaire-play, etc.), Audio-visual effects, and Genre (Science fiction, Sports, Adventure, etc.).[ Due to overwhelming reader support for the column,][ Laney, Frank Jr.]
Switch On! - Welcome to Electronic Games
. ''Electronic Games
An electronic game is a game that uses electronics to create an interactive system with which a player can play. Video games are the most common form today, and for this reason the two terms are often used interchangeably. There are other common ...
''. Vol.1, No.1. Winter 1981. Kunkel, Katz, and Worley pitched the publication of the United States' first dedicated video game magazine
Video game journalism is a branch of journalism concerned with the reporting and discussion of video games, typically based on a core "reveal–preview–review" cycle. With the prevalence and rise of independent media online, online publicati ...
to Jay Rosenfield and in October 1981 ''Electronic Games
An electronic game is a game that uses electronics to create an interactive system with which a player can play. Video games are the most common form today, and for this reason the two terms are often used interchangeably. There are other common ...
'' was launched.[Plunkett, Luke.]
A Little Background On The World's First Ever Video Game Magazine
. '' Kotaku''. December 29, 2009. ''Electronic Games'' was tested as a one-off issue, but proved popular enough that it became a regular bi-monthly and then a monthly magazine.[ Despite this outlet, however, the three founders of Arcade Alley continued working for ''Video'', jointly hosting the Arkie Awards between the two Reese publications. By 1982 ''Video'' was considered the "number one magazine in the industry",][ Ellison, Harlan. "Rolling That Ole Debbil Stone - Postscript". ''Video Review''. September 1982. Vol.3, No.6. . (reprinted in '']The Comics Journal
''The Comics Journal'', often abbreviated ''TCJ'', is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books, comic strips and graphic novels. Known for its lengthy interviews with comic creators, pointed editorials and scathing r ...
''. No.85. Pg.108. October 1983. ; later reprints in Ellison collections ''Sleepless Nights in the Procrustean Bed'' (1984) and ''An Edge in My Voice'' (1985)). and Katz dropped his pseudonym to write under his real name.[
]
Notes
References
{{reflist, 30em
External links
Katz-Kunkel-Worley Journalistic Archive Gallery
at Videogame History Museum including writings from their time at ''Video''.
Business magazines published in the United States
Monthly magazines published in the United States
Quarterly magazines published in the United States
Defunct magazines published in the United States
Magazines established in 1977
Magazines disestablished in 1999
Magazines published in New York City