By CAROLYN GIARDINA
Industry veteran Bob Coleman, whose career in production and post has spanned almost 30 years, has joined Sony Electronics as VP of production and postproduction systems for its broadcast and professional company (BPC). He will be based at the companys Los Angeles office.
Previously, Coleman ran Digital Artists Agency, an L.A. shop he founded last summer to represent digital imaging artists. Coleman reported that DAA continues to exist, although with his new post at Sony he will be stepping back from the day to day operations and reorganizing the venture.
At press time, Coleman was interviewing individuals to take over the agency. Coleman intends to retain a minor interest in the business.
Before DAA was created, Coleman was president of Hollywood-based 525 Post Production (now 525 Studios, Santa Monica and Hollywood), a facility under the Virgin Digital Studios umbrella. He additionally served as acting managing director for Virgin Television de Mexico in Mexico City. Prior to 525, Coleman was at Encore Video, Hollywood and Santa Monica, which he joined in 1994 as VP/executive producer.
In his new role, Coleman will head up marketing for Sonys editing, production and postproduction products, responsible for such markets as broadcasting, post, business, industrial and commercial programming. My responsibility is to continue Sonys existing position and hopefully improve position in the postproduction market, Coleman said, citing nonlinear editing as a product area that he would like to grow.
As for DAA, he emphasized, The concept is sound. … More awareness needs to be created. It was clear that it would take two years to build. Im confident at some point in time, DAA will get investment capital to expand.
With DAA I wanted to make a contribution to the industry, this position affords me that opportunity, he said of his new arrangement with Sony. The convergence of computer technology and video, the advent of high definition production and postproduction, and finally the notion of nonlinear technologies and interfaces, require innovative thinking from all sides.
Bob is a pioneer in the application of digital technology to the postproduction marketplace, said Anthony Gargano, senior VP of BPCs communications systems division. He is an insider-someone whose leadership and experience can help Sony best meet the needs of the production community.
Earlier in Colemans career, he was VP/general manager of Skywalker Sound South (which now resides solely in San Rafael). He also held various executive and marketing posts in Chicago, both at Optimus and now-defunct Editel/Chicago. He began his career at Victor Duncan, Chicago.
Coleman has also contributed to the industry as an active member of ITS. He served as executive VP of the Southern California chapter, and chaired five International Monitor Awards.
Google Opens Its Defense In Antitrust Case Alleging Monopoly Over Online Ad Technology
Google opened its defense against allegations that it holds an illegal monopoly on online advertising technology Friday with witness testimony saying the industry is vastly more complex and competitive than portrayed by the federal government.
"The industry has been exceptionally fluid over the last 18 years," said Scott Sheffer, a vice president for global partnerships at Google, the company's first witness at its antitrust trial in federal court in Alexandria.
The Justice Department and a coalition of states contend that Google built and maintained an illegal monopoly over the technology that facilitates the buying and selling of online ads seen by consumers.
Google counters that the government's case improperly focuses on a narrow type of online ads — essentially the rectangular ones that appear on the top and on the right-hand side of a webpage. In its opening statement, Google's lawyers said the Supreme Court has warned judges against taking action when dealing with rapidly emerging technology like what Sheffer described because of the risk of error or unintended consequences.
Google says defining the market so narrowly ignores the competition it faces from social media companies, Amazon, streaming TV providers and others who offer advertisers the means to reach online consumers.
Justice Department lawyers called witnesses to testify for two weeks before resting their case Friday afternoon, detailing the ways that automated ad exchanges conduct auctions in a matter of milliseconds to determine which ads are placed in front of which consumers and how much they cost.
The department contends the auctions are finessed in subtle ways that benefit Google to the exclusion of would-be competitors and in ways that prevent... Read More