Close to a thousand Hollywood publicity and marketing executives, producers, studio and network executives, celebrities, and press gathered for the International Cinematographers Guild (IATSE Local 600) 50th Annual Publicists Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel today.
Kirk Douglas received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Ron Meyer, president and COO of Universal Studios. In a surprise appearance Robert Downey Jr. presented the Motion Picture Showmanship Award to Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, while the Television Showmanship Award went to the co-presidents of USA Network, Chris McCumber and Jeff Wachtel, presented to them by Matt Bomer, who’s the star of USA’s White Collar, and Piper Perabo, star of the network’s Covert Affairs.
Surprise presenter Sally Field awarded publicist Heidi Schaeffer of PMK/BNC with this year’s Les Mason Award, the highest honor publicists can pay to one of their own.
Corbin Bernsen, star of L.A. Law and USA’s current hit Psych, presented the Press Award to Deadline Hollywood‘s Pete Hammond, while the International Media Award went to James White of the UK. Two 14-year-olds from Kabul, Afghanistan, Fawad Mohammadi and Jawanmard Paiz, stars of the Oscar� nominated Live Action Short, Buzkashi Boys, made this presentation.
Sharon Black, winner of the award last year, presented the Bob Yeager Award to Linda Weitzler in recognition of her community work. Weitzler belongs to the Volunteer League, which helps clothe needy children; is part of a 22-voice choir that performs at nursing homes; and serves on the board of the Fulfillment Fund helping under privileged kids to go to college; among other nonprofit efforts.
The Maxwell Weinberg Award for Best Publicity Campaign for a Motion Picture went to the publicity team from Warner Bros. for Argo, presented by Chi McBride, one of the stars of CBS’ upcoming series Golden Boy, which will be premiering February 26. McBride also handed the Maxwell Weinberg Television Campaign Award to the publicists for their work on Showtime’s Homeland.
Robert Knepper, one of the stars of new CW midseason series Cult, which premiered February 19, presented the Excellence in Still Photography for Motion Pictures Award to Jaimie Trueblood and the Television Still Photography Award to Suzanne Tenner.
ICG President Steven Poster began the ceremony by highlighting the important contributions publicists make to the industry. He also welcomed IATSE President Matt Loeb who flew in from New York for the occasion.
Theo Von, star of Yahoo!’s Prime Time In No Time, hosted.
A Closer Look At Proposed Measures Designed To Curb Google’s Search Monopoly
U.S. regulators are proposing aggressive measures to restore competition to the online search market after a federal judge ruled Google maintained an illegal monopoly for the last decade.
The sweeping set of recommendations filed late Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Justice could radically alter Google's business, including possibly spinning off the Chrome web browser and syndicating its search data to competitors. Even if the courts adopt the blueprint, Google isn't likely to make any significant changes until 2026 at the earliest, because of the legal system's slow-moving wheels.
Here's what it all means:
What is the Justice Department's goal?
Federal prosecutors are cracking down on Google in a case originally filed during near the end of then-President Donald Trump's first term. Officials say the main goal of these proposals is to get Google to stop leveraging its dominant search engine to illegally squelch competition and stifle innovation.
"The playing field is not level because of Google's conduct, and Google's quality reflects the ill-gotten gains of an advantage illegally acquired," the Justice Department asserted in its recommendations. "The remedy must close this gap and deprive Google of these advantages."
Not surprisingly, Google sees things much differently. The Justice Department's "wildly overbroad proposal goes miles beyond the Court's decision," Kent Walker, Google's chief legal officer, asserted in a blog post. "It would break a range of Google products — even beyond search — that people love and find helpful in their everyday lives."
It's still possible that the Justice Department could ease off on its attempts to break up Google, especially if President-elect Donald Trump... Read More