1. C.E.S. RETURNS REVOKED AWARD TO SEX TOY CREATOR: The Consumer Technology Association, which oversees technology trade show CES, has returned an award it rescinded from a women’s sex toy creator before the conference in January. Lora DiCarlo was first given the C.E.S. Innovation Award for the Osé Robotic Massager, but organizers later revoked the award and DiCarlo’s permission to exhibit at the show, stating that sex toys weren’t allowed. This sparked controversy surrounding the tech industry’s treatment of women and sex technology. The Verge: “The C.T.A. says it ‘did not handle this award properly,’ leading to some ‘important conversations’ about the show’s policies around sex tech. But while the C.T.A. is returning Lora DiCarlo’s award today, it isn’t ready to discuss what kind of changes will be implemented to make the conference more inclusive in the future. For now, it isn’t even clear if Lora DiCarlo will be able to present at next year’s show. The C.T.A. indicates that changes are coming, but it says they’ll be shared ‘in the months leading up to CES 2020.’”
2. TALENT AGENCIES GIVE WOODSTOCK 50 ORGANIZERS A CHANCE TO SAVE FESTIVAL: Representatives from talent agencies including C.A.A., Paradigm, and W.M.E. are giving organizers of Woodstock 50 a chance to save the festival before releasing their musicians to book at other events. Festival investor Dentsu canceled the event last month, but festival co-founder Michael Lang plans to make the festival happen and wants to hire a new producer. Billboard: “’Until it's crystal clear legally, no one will do shit,’ explains one agent representing an artist at the festival, who said they wouldn't book replacement shows or issue the festival a breach of contract notice until there's a more definitive cancellation of Woodstock 50. The strategy is crafted to protect the $30 million that Dentsu already paid out to artists on the lineup, money they say they are entitled to keep if the band is willing and ready to play. The risk is that their artists will get stuck playing a downgraded—and possible dangerous—Woodstock 50 festival, although most say the odds of that happening are slim-to-none, arguing the event faces too many obstacles and that eventually Lang will have to relent on his vision for the 50th anniversary celebration. Reps for the Woodstock 50 LLC had already asked both AEG or Live Nation to bail out the festival with a $20 million cash infusion, days after tickets were supposed to go on sale, but both promoters passed on the proposal. Lang had given himself until Friday to raise $30 million for the festival which is needed for staging, production, and site construction.”
3. ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL TO LEAVE MIAMI: Ultra Music Festival has ended its agreement with the City of Miami and will move to a new location in South Florida, event organizers announced in a letter posted to Twitter on Wednesday. The electronic dance music festival was kicked out of its longtime venue of Bayfront Park last year and had a shaky edition at Virginia Key in March. The festival is considering Homestead as its next location. Miami Herald: "Ultra did not reveal the new location for next year in its statement, but Homestead officials confirmed there are talks to bring the festival to south Miami-Dade. Homestead City Manager George Gretsas told the Herald he has been made aware of conversations between Ultra and the Homestead-Miami Speedway, which he relayed to his City Council on Wednesday. ... Ultra’s letter to Miami—a terse statement announcing Ultra’s decision to terminate the contract, hand-delivered by a courier around 4 p.m.—caught administrators and politicians off guard. Thursday’s vote was hotly anticipated after a rough debut on the island, where logistical problems plagued the event’s opening night and the volume of the music aggravated residents on mainland Miami."
