Broadcast Media Nemesis Saying Goodbye To CTA
WASHINGTON, D.C. — He’s become Public Enemy No. 1 of the National Association of Broadcasters and to radio and television station ownership groups seeking what his organization has assailed as Congressional “mandates” designed to keep AM radio tuners in all vehicles and push ATSC 3.0 digital TV broadcasting forward, respectively.
Soon, they’ll have to contend with a new CEO at theConsumer Technology Association.
As first reported by Streamline Publishing’s Radio Ink,Gary Shapiro is stepping down from his post, shifting to the role of Executive Chair.
Why? It is very likely that he simply wants to conclude his career at CTA after some 35 years.
Yet, after leading the organization since 1991, Shapiro’s legacy at CTA among broadcasters will likely be defined by the past two years — a time period that saw the organization behind the annual CES conference emerge as one of broadcast media’s fiercest antagonists on Capitol Hill.
Once Shapiro steps into a largely ceremonial role at CTA on May 1, current PresidentKinsey Fabrizio will add CEO duties and continue to serve on the Executive Board.
Fabrizio joined CTA in 2008 and, as Senior Vice President, managed CES conferences and show operations, expanded CES product categories, and modernized CTA’s membership infrastructure. Rising to President, she oversaw business units and operations for both organizations.
Throughout his tenure, Shapiro maintained a largely warm relationship with the terrestrial broadcast community until April 2024, when he testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee to oppose theAM for Every Vehicle Act, which would mandate free over-the-air radio as a safety feature in all new automobiles sold in the US, and broadened his criticism to encompass unrelated AM/FM radio legislation.
In the months that followed, Shapiro emerged as one of the most vocal opponents of broadcast interests, not only on the AM Act, but in seeking additional performance royalties for radio, wanting the continuation of current broadcast ownership caps, fighting an ATSC 3.0 mandate for television, and even calling on radio broadcasters to question their support of the NAB.
Shapiro said, “There is a time for everything, and I’m pleased with the new opportunities for CTA and for my next chapter…Our future is bright, and I look forward to championing Kinsey, the important work of our entire organization, and pursuing new ventures.”
— Reporting by Adam Jacobson, with additional reporting by Cameron Coats, in New York
