Columbia TriStar Net Exec to Join Start-Up PacketVideo

In yet another sign of the start-up world’s power to attract talent from traditional media companies, one of Sony’s top Internet executives is jumping to a company that hopes to channel multimedia content to wireless phones and other devices.

Robert Tercek, 36, senior vice president of digital media at the Columbia TriStar Television unit of Sony Pictures Entertainment, will become head of interactive programming at San Diego-based PacketVideo.

In less than two years at Sony, Tercek became known as one of the most enthusiastic proselytizers on behalf of interactive entertainment material on the Web and television. In announcing his departure Friday, he was no less effusive about the potential of his new company.

“I saw the future in PacketVideo,” he said in an interview. “It’s the only company in the world that can facilitate the distribution of rich media over digital wireless networks.”

PacketVideo hopes to capitalize on the development of a new generation of wireless mobile communications devices--grown-up versions of wireless phones and hand-held communicators that are already becoming familiar appliances in the U.S.

In the future, Tercek said, these devices will be able to receive DVD-quality video and other high-volume data streams.

“You’ll have screens with great resolution and stereo sound that will fit in your hand,” he said. His job will involve building a division that can work with providers of entertainment and other content to produce versions to be distributed via PacketVideo’s network.

At Sony, Tercek was head of the team that developed interactive versions of game shows “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy,” which allow users of WebTV to play along with the broadcast versions. He also worked at MTV and the software firm 7th Level, among other places.

Michael Hiltzik can be reached at michael.hiltzik@latimes.com.