The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) is a standard and

trade organization A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry. An industry trade association partic ...

representing 1,376 consumer technology companies in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

. CTA works to influence public policy, holds events such as the

Consumer Electronics Show CES (; formerly an initialism for Consumer Electronics Show) is an annual trade show organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). Held in January at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Winchester, Nevada, United States, the event ty ...

(CES) and CES Asia, conducts market research, and helps its members and regulators implement technical standards. CTA is led by president and CEO Gary J. Shapiro.

Trade shows

CES

CES is a major technology trade show held each January in

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish language, Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the List of United States cities by population, 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the U.S. state, state of Neva ...

. The CTA-sponsored show typically hosts previews of products and new product announcements.First CES Goes Broadway in June 1967
, Bob Gerson, ''TWICE'', August 28, 2006 The first CES was held in 1967 in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

. It was a spin-off from the Chicago Music Show, which until then had served as the main event for exhibiting consumer electronics. The event had 17,500 attendees and over 100 exhibitors, and the kickoff speaker was Motorola chairman Bob Galvin. From 1978 to 1994, CES was held twice each year: once in January in Las Vegas, known as '' Winter Consumer Electronics Show'' (WCES), and once in June in Chicago, known as ''Summer Consumer Electronics Show''. In 1998, the show changed to an annual format with Las Vegas as the location. CES is one of the largest and longest-running trade shows held in Las Vegas, taking up to 17 days to set up, run, and break down.

CES Asia

CES Asia is owned and produced by the International CES (Shanghai) Exhibition Co. Ltd., a wholly foreign-owned enterprise by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), and is co-produced by Shanghai INTEX Exhibition Co., Ltd (Shanghai INTEX). Special co-organizers for CES Asia are the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) and th
China Electronic Chamber of Commerce
(CECC). CES Asia serves as a platform for both Chinese and American companies to introduce new products into the Asian marketplace.

Leadership

Gary Shapiro

Gary J. Shapiro is the president and CEO of CTA. Shapiro has worked for CTA since 1979, when he was a law student. Shapiro is also the chairman of the

Home Recording Rights Coalition The Home Recording Rights Coalition is a non-profit advocacy organization in the U.S., whose mission is to protect the rights of consumers to view, listen to, and record radio and television broadcasts. Founded in 1981 in response to the '' ...

. As chairman, Shapiro has testified often before Congress and has helped ensure the growth of the video rental market, VCRs, home computers, and audio-recording equipment, including MP3 technology. Shapiro is also the author of the bestselling book, ''The Comeback: How Innovation Will Restore the American Dream''. Shapiro holds a law degree from the

Georgetown University Law Center The Georgetown University Law Center (Georgetown Law) is the law school of Georgetown University, a private research university in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1870 and is the largest law school in the United States by enrollment a ...

. He is also a

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal a ...

graduate of the

Binghamton University The State University of New York at Binghamton (Binghamton University or SUNY Binghamton) is a public research university with campuses in Binghamton, Vestal, and Johnson City, New York. It is one of the four university centers in the State ...

, where he majored in economics and psychology. Shapiro was an associate at the law firm of Squire, Sanders and Dempsey. He also worked as a legislative aide on

Capitol Hill Capitol Hill, in addition to being a metonym for the United States Congress, is the largest historic residential neighborhood in Washington, D.C., stretching easterly in front of the United States Capitol along wide avenues. It is one of the ...

David Hagan

David Hagan serves as chairman of the board.

Publications

''It Its Innovation (i3'') magazine

''i3,'' CTA's flagship magazine, is published six times a year and focuses on innovation in technology, policy and business as well as the entrepreneurs, industry leaders and startups that grow the consumer technology industry. The magazine has a circulation of 38,600 (print and digital) and has won a number of awards including the Eddie Award, Full Issue (N/D 2017), FOLIO, Top 25 Tabbie Best Issue Award (J/A 2017).

CTA Corporate Report

The CTA Corporate Report is published every year and covers CTA's accomplishments and assesses trends relevant to the consumer electronics industry. The Corporate Report won a Platinum Award from the League of American Communications Professionals.

''Digital America''

''Digital America'' is the CTA's annual comprehensive report on the state of the consumer electronics industry in the United States. ''Digital America'' includes market research, analysis of new and existing technology, industry history, and other detailed information.

Awards programs

CTA has several awards programs for industry leaders, inventors, products, and technologies. Since 1976, the Innovations Design and Engineering Awards has given consumer technology manufacturers and developers an opportunity to have their newest products judged by a panel of designers, engineers and members of the trade press. The winning products are then showcased each year at CES, also produced by CTA. To recognize the contributions of the "true pioneers" of the consumer electronics industry, CTA created the Consumer Technology Hall of Fame, first launched at the 2000 International CES. Each year a new class of inventors, engineers, business leaders, retailers and journalists is inducted.

CTAPAC

CTAPAC is CTA's political action committee. About CTAPAC, CTA says, "The Consumer Technology Association (CTA)™ Political Action Committee (CTAPAC) protects your freedom to build and sell consumer technology products." With regard to CEAPAC's funding, CEA says, "CTAPAC is funded solely through voluntary, personal contributions from the executive and administrative personnel of CTA's corporate members — people like you. Corporate contributions are prohibited under federal law."

CTA Foundation

In 2009, CTA established a charitable foundation dedicated to providing seniors and the disabled with technology in order to enhance their quality of life
Selfhelp Community Services
an eldercare service organization, in New York City received the first grant issued by what was originally called the CEA Foundation. The grant was dedicated to reducing social isolation and providing better access to community services among homebound seniors using computer and internet technology.

Hall of Fame

The CTA maintains a Hall of Fame, to which notable contributors to the field of consumer electronics are named.

Name changes

CTA originally started as the Radio Manufacturers Association (RMA) in 1924. In 1950, it changed its name to Radio-Television Manufacturers Association (RTMA). In 1953, it changed its name to Radio-Electronics-Television Manufacturers Association (RETMA). It was then the Electronic Industries Association (EIA) from 1957 to 1998, when it became the

Electronic Industries Alliance The Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA; until 1997 Electronic Industries Association) was an American standards and trade organization composed as an alliance of trade associations for electronics manufacturers in the United States. They deve ...

. In 1995, EIA's Consumer Electronics Group (CEG) became the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association (CEMA). In 1999, President Gary Shapiro announced the trade group's name change from CEMA to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and became an independent sector of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA). The name of CEA was changed to Consumer Technology Association (CTA) in November 2015.

Notes

External links

CTA Corporate Report
{{authority control Consumer electronics Technology trade associations Standards organizations in the United States Entertainment companies based in California Companies based in San Francisco 1924 establishments in the United States Companies established in 1924