Why I’m not going to CEDIA for the first time in 10 years
For the past dozen years, I’ve made CEDIA — the premier custom-install and home-theater trade show — a staple of my annual coverage. From smart lighting and security systems to motorized shades and high-end audio, CEDIA has always offered plenty to explore. It’s a blast. This year I’m skipping.
The show draws a cadre of AV press. They work their asses off to cover all the booths and post about the latest home theater tech.
However in many cases, what’s posted is not journalism. It’s marketing.
Most “news” arrives as embargoed press releases anyway. By covering announcements from home, I can still share timely updates — and free up my schedule for deeper reviews.
Most “coverage” = brochure translation with new adjectives. Attend a demo, listen to the rehearsed speech, watch Tom Cruise fire some missiles, declare that rooms each stuffed with a million bucks of AV gear look and sound awesome. Rinse and repeat.
Real reporting would bypass the PR handler, corner the engineer, ask uncomfortable questions, verify claims, and publish the parts marketing didn’t script. Even if they irritate a brand. That’s what “press” actually does. You’ve seen real press conferences, at least on TV, and they are not about blowing kisses.
However, if someone with a press pass did that for one show, their access would likely evaporate. No more VIP invites to the demos that you can’t get into otherwise. No more dinners with unlimited drinks. You’d have to start wearing disguises like restaurant critics do.
The bottom line is the coverage typically coming out of trade shows is not real news, it’s a form of entertainment. It’s like sports coverage, it is access-dependent. And that’s fine.
Don’t get me wrong: I’ll miss the hallway chats, the evening dinners, and the thrill of hearing a big demo in person. If CEDIA were in Philadelphia, I might feel differently! But right now, I’d rather demo gear at my local dealer, write about what truly excites me, and soak up some ocean air.
Enjoy the show.
