It’s with great sadness that we report, Gary Merson, founder, publisher and principal of HD Guru.com, died Oct. 5, 2023 at is home in Boynton Beach, Fla. after a long illness.
Possessing a quirky wit, brash manner and intuitive intellect for all things consumer electronics, Merson was known by many in the industry for his frequent, probing and humorous questions that often kept colleagues and sources amused at press conferences and panel discussions.
Merson (aka “the HD Guru”) began his 40-plus-year career in the consumer electronics industry with a succession of positions at several leading U.S. electronics retail chains, rising to the position of VP of operations. His combination of sales floor acumen and technical expertise eventually led him to a career in consumer electronics journalism.
Merson is probably best known for his role as the founder of this consumer-facing product news and review site. Merson launched his first online electronics trade publication, HDTV Insider Newsletter, in 1999, receiving the Best HDTV Journalism award of 2005 from the Academy of Digital Television (DTV) Pioneers.
He eventually transitioned the newsletter into HDGuru.com more than a decade ago to help consumers understand digital video product technologies in their pursuit of some of the first high definition TV displays and devices.
Prior to starting his own publications, Merson contributed equipment reviews to a number of well-known magazines and periodicals including Popular Science, Sound and Vision, Robb Report, Digital TV, Home Theater magazine and CNET.
Over the years, he was frequently quoted on high definition TV technology issues by leading news sources including, the NY Times, Newsday, Time magazine and other publications.
Merson is survived by his father, Elliott Utrecht, of Boynton Beach, Fla., a step-sister Robyn and her husband Avrum Goodblatt.
The family is planning a private ceremony.
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By Greg Tarr
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