April 18, 1989

Dear Sirs:

I resent the manner in which you presented the program, "The Shakespeare Mystery." The issues and ideas offered by the "Oxfordians," as they were called, are interesting and worthy of consideration and research. The fact that we know little (although in historical context we know quite a bit) of Shakespeare, however, does not necessarily weigh against the case for his authorship, as we know next to nothing of most persons living in his time. It is most unfortunate and especially misleading to let go the issues raised without providing specific answer by those supporting Shakespearean authorship. Those whom you showed speaking on behalf of the "Stratfordians" were made (through prejudiced editing) to support, subtly and indirectly, the issues raised by the "Oxfordians" by answering these issues not specifically, but generally, and, at times, absurdly. Not fair, and as a result, the case for "Shakespeare as Shakespeare" and his authorship of the works was left entirely unseated in your program. Perhaps this is as it should be, and the matter, as presented, and from a true scholarly perspective, is not worthy of comment.

In any event, your program had a certain vulgar literary appeal and I suppose a scholarly discussion of the matter would only have been "caviar to the general."

Sincerely,

Jon S. Ballingrud