CTA Centennial

April 16, 2024, was the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CTA (Consumer Technology Association), which started as the RMA (Radio Manufacturers Association). This is a series of essays I have written for TWICE exploring and celebrating CTA’s and the consumer technology industry’s first century of invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

These essays have been assembled from varying technology historical research and writings I have done over the course of 20-plus years, including from an annually updated industry history for CTA’s now-defunct Digital America, 20-plus years of CTA Hall of Fame inductee biographies, and numerous tech history articles for a variety of publications over the years.

Part 1 (1924-1929): Founding

Herbert H. Frost: CTA’s ‘George Washington’

Part 2 (1930-1945): David Sarnoff

Part 3 (1946-1960): The TV Age

Part 4 (1961-1974): The Sixties

Interlude: Jack Wayman, Our Industry’s Indispensable Exec

Part 5a (1975-1985): A Decade of Disruption – Home Video Revolution

Part 5b (1975-1985): A Decade Of Disruption – Personal Audio Revolution

Part 5c (1975-1985): A Decade of Disruption – Personal Computing

Part 5d (1975-1985): A Decade of Disruption – 1984 ‘Phones It In’

Part 5e (1975-1985): A Decade of Disruption – 1984: Hollywood Loses The Battle Against Home Video – But Wins The War

Part 6a (1985-2000): Platform Wars – Recording Media