The organises of NAB have issued a release over next month’s NAB in Las Vegas. The show was scheduled to take place between 18-22nd of April. Now, the show has been cancelled over coronavirus concerns. The press release reads as follows… This is going to hit a lot of companies very hard, who have been planning and preparing for their attendance at the show since NAB 2019. A lot of time and money will have been invested, but sometimes event organisers have to do what they have to do. No doubt most of the manufacturers will have started getting contingency plans together over the past few weeks. As you know, we have been carefully monitoring coronavirus developments both domestically and globally over the past few weeks. In the interest of addressing the health and safety concerns of our stakeholders and in consultation with partners throughout the media and entertainment industry, we have decided not to move forward with NAB Show in April. We are currently considering a number of potential alternatives to create the best possible experience for our community. This was not an easy decision. Fortunately, we did not have to make this decision alone, and are grateful to our NAB Show community for engaging with us as we grappled with the rapidly-evolving situation. This Show is as much yours as it is ours, and it is important to us that we move forward together. For nearly 100 years, NAB Show has provided superior value and the best possible experience for exhibitors and attendees. We knew that if we could not deliver on those expectations, we would not move forward. More importantly, keeping the community safe and healthy is NAB’s highest priority; therefore, we are deferring to the developing consensus from public health authorities on the challenges posed by coronavirus. We are still weighing the best potential path forward, and we ask you for your patience as we do so. We are committed to exploring all possible alternatives so that we can provide a productive setting where the industry can engage with the latest technology, hear from industry thought leaders and make the game-changing connections that drive our industry forward. I want to stress that despite our disappointment at how this year’s Show has been impacted by global public health concerns, we are more excited than ever about the future of NAB Show and our relationship with you. We are grateful for each and every member of our Show community. It is your passion for the industry that makes NAB Show a success year after year, and it is that same passion that will drive us into the future as we look ahead to new possibilities later this year and beyond. Sincerely, Gordon H. SmithPresident and CEO With the cancellations of NAB and recently CP+, as well as the postponement of The Photography Show (although they’re planning to try for September), many manufacturers will have little opportunity to get their new products in front of potential customers for a while this year. Photokina has yet to issue an update to their previous statement that they see no reason to cancel, but I suspect they’ll be reconsidering their plans now.
