Las Vegas’ annual Consumer Electronics Show draws some of the world’s most state-of-the-art technology companies to hawk their wares. But this year, the biggest deals may happen off the show floor, and involve shows of a different kind altogether.

Seeking the latest and greatest content distribution methods, Hollywood executives are flocking to CES in 2016 from January 6-9, resulting in a particularly media-heavy lineup that includes keynotes from Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, NBCUniversal CEO Stephen Burke and YouTube’s chief business officer Robert Kyncl. Other show business bigwigs expected to make an appearance include A+E Networks chief Nancy Dubuc, and Dreamworks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg.

With technology and entertainment increasingly intertwined, CES is rapidly becoming a must-attend for media honchos who used to send their companies’ tech and innovation execs in their stead. Now it’s poised to become one of film and television’s most important annual events, with this year’s docket already featuring such high-profile happenings as cocktail parties thrown by both Google and Hulu, a virtual reality experience from Twentieth Century Fox’s The Martian, onsite hosting duties by YouTube stars Joey Graceffa and iJustine, and the annual MediaLink Bash.

For marketers, an array of forward-thinking new offerings will be on display at CES, including groundbreaking new efforts in 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and personalization and data. Little more than a novelty a year ago, virtual reality pops up in a wide range of CES sessions tackling its role in movies, gaming, sports and publishing. Execs from Fox, Google, Sony and elsewhere will present new brand experiences that incorporate the technology, diving headfirst into yet another realm offering distribution and monetization opportunities.

Check out the full schedule of events at CES 2016 and read more at The Hollywood Reporter and The Drum.

Brief Take: So much more than a geek-fest, CES has become one of the television industry’s most important annual events.

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