Consumer Electronics Association rolls out red carpet for Hollywood

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The trade organization behind the annual geek fest that is the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is reaching beyond its core constituency and courting the entertainment industry with a program designed for Hollywood’s film, television and digital executives.

The new Entertainment Matters program debuts next year with a series of sessions designed with Hollywood in mind -- such as discussions of ways to make money on emerging technology. The CES show takes place Jan. 6-9.

A Red Carpet program will offer guided showroom tours for about 2,000 studio executives, writers, directors and actors (CES can be overwhelming to the uninitiated), as well as a lounge to hang out. A Hollywood Assistant’s Program seeks to afford a glimpse of new technology trends to the next generation of executives.

All Things D, a website devoted to technology and news analysis that’s owned by Dow Jones, will conduct high-level interviews with tech luminaries on Jan. 7 at the Venetian.

Karen Chupka, senior vice president of events and conferences for CES, said the trade show has always attracted entertainment executives -- indeed, about 6,000 attended last year’s event. It hired United Talent Agency to make the show even more relevant for the industry.

‘They helped us identify clearly the types of information that the Hollywood community needs from us,’ Chupka said of UTA.

And if that’s not exciting enough, as always the Adult Entertainment Expo is going on in Las Vegas at the exact same time.

--Dawn C. Chmielewski