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Panasonic to deliver opening keynote at CES

Newly appointed president of the Japanese TV maker will give the opening keynote speech at the 2013 edition of the big consumer-electronics show.

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Kazuhiro Tsuga, Panasonic's new president, will deliver the 2013 CES keynote address. CEA

The Consumer Electronics Association, the organization that runs the Consumer Electronics Show, announced today that Kazuhiro Tsuga, the newly appointed president of Panasonic, will deliver the CES 2013 opening keynote speech.

"Panasonic is one of the largest and most dynamic consumer-electronics companies in the world, and I congratulate Mr. Tsuga on his official appointment to president of Panasonic Corporation this morning," CEA Chief Executive Gary Shapiro said in a statement. "We are thrilled to have Mr. Tsuga take the stage for his opening keynote at the 2013 International CES, and we look forward to hearing his vision for the future of Panasonic and its leadership in green innovation."

Tsuga's appointment as president was approved by shareholders this morning.

The CEA is announcing its CES 2013 keynote speakers one by one, starting with Panasonic, whose keynote address will take place at 8:30 a.m. PT on Tuesday, January 8.

This Tuesday morning opening keynote is not to be confused with the opening-night address traditionally given by Microsoft's chief executives for most of the past 15 years, first Bill Gates and then Steve Ballmer. Microsoft, which has been a mainstay attraction at the show, announced in December that the 2012 CES would be its last as opening keynote presenter and a floor exhibitor. The company noted that the show's January timing doesn't align with its news milestones.

Microsoft's announcement was a reflection of the decentralization of tech press briefings, with companies increasingly using their own events to make major product announcements to avoid getting drowned out by the myriad companies at CES. Last year's news that Microsoft was on its way out of the show led to speculation that CES had lost its relevance and that the departure would lead other companies to follow suit.

Correction, July 3 at 9:18 a.m. PT: The original version of this story incorrectly stated that Panasonic was taking over Microsoft's evening keynote role. Not so. Panasonic's opening keynote at CES 2013 is for the Tuesday morning of the show.