NO CES Updates???

Reading between the lines and the actual comments mentioning it, attendance at the CES was down noticeably this year. (around 110,000 instead of 141,000 last year) That's attendees (not exhibitors), and that's massive.
The economy and the CES's high prices for exhibitors have driven away many companies. The CES glosses that over, only telling us about the 300 new exhibtors, but not the number of companies that have down-sized or dumped the CES altogether.
So what does the CES do? They add their "spin" to the news. Quality over quantity (in attendees as well as exhibitors) Exhibitors quoted as saying they like less traffic (Right!! roll of eyes ) as it gives them more time to spend with people "they really want to see". (Funny, I thought they went there for as much exposure as they could get!)

Now CES is talking about charging a $100.00 pre-registration fee to attendees to keep the quality of attendees higher. What a crock!! That's a money grab!! As if $100.00 fee will keep someone away who is willing to spends hundreds or a thousand dollars to fly there and stay at a hotel. (Not!)

It's all about money; that's all the CES cares about. If attendance is down, they'll get it somewhere else, this time, in the name of a bullsh*t idea to get "quality attendees".
I guess the rebel T.H.E. Show isn't going to die just yet...

For Mapman:
Well, ya, the CES puts on this show to promote the electronics industry, but if the weren't making a ton of money doing it, they'd stop doing it.
When it comes to "Specialty Audio", Exhibitors have been complaining for years, no, almost decades, about restrictive CES policies, high prices and fees, Union restrictions, etc. That's what started the whole Rebel show scene in the first place. That's why THE Show exists...and drives the CES crazy. That means the CES had to try to be somewhat competitive, particularly when THE Show was right next door to them for years. They moved to the Strip to get rid of THE Show, knowing the the competiton could not afford to do it, at least not without raising their prices to CES levels.
The problem with that is that the prices have increased dramatically for CES exhibitors and even more are dropping out. Many exhibitors prefer to do the Consumer shows like RMAF and Montreal now.

Essentialaudio
The CES is supposed to be a Trade-only show, but we all know some non-Trade people and family get in, through their buddies at stores, manufacturers, distributors, etc. In that case, they are not paying anyway; their buddies got them in free as "employees". A $100.00 fee is NOT going to stop them, because it won't apply.
Even if some "casual" people are able to get registered, the $100.00 fee is NOT going to stop them either; that's a small expense compared to travelling expenses, hotels, etc. The CES knows that will not stop them, and they are lying when they say they are instituting a fee to discourage people like that. They just want to collect some more money to make up for all the revenue they're losing from their shrinking exhibitor base!
Like I said, it's all "spin"...