In a letter from NAB President Gordon Smith, The National Association of Broadcasters announced today that it will not hold a delayed NAB Show in Las Vegas this year and will instead launch a digital “NAB Show Express” and expand this fall’s NAB Show New York.

The organization also announced the dates for the 2021 NAB Show in Las Vegas, which will be held from April 11th-14th next year.

NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith today issued a letter to the NAB Show community providing an update about plans for NAB Show activities in 2020. In the letter, Smith announced that rather than rescheduling NAB Show for later this year, NAB would be unveiling a new digital offering called NAB Show Express, and enhancing NAB Show New York later this year.

In response to today’s announcement, Tim Shoulder, the President of Grass Valley said, “We’re thrilled to join NAB at this year’s show in New York, and look forward to having a large presence there. Like so many in our industry, we understood the difficult decision NAB had to make regarding the Las Vegas show, but we’re optimistic that the New York show will be a fantastic experience for vendors and attendees alike.”

The full text of Gordon Smith’s letter is below:

Dear NAB Show Community,

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a truly unprecedented situation around the world. Our thoughts are with those who have been directly affected by the virus, and all of those who are struggling with the ramifications of this global health crisis.

At the National Association of Broadcasters, we believe it is our responsibility to help stop the spread of COVID-19, and put the health and safety of our show community first. In the week since announcing that we will not move forward with the NAB Show in April, the landscape has continued to shift dramatically with major sports leagues, school districts, and other businesses around the country suspending operations. The governor of Nevada has also made the decision to close all nonessential business operations in the state. National authorities are imploring Americans to telework wherever possible.

While we recognize that much of our show community is focused on other issues at the moment, we have heard from many of you over the last week who are eager for an update on our plans. For that reason, we wanted to convey now that, in light of the current circumstances, it is impossible to hold a rescheduled 2020 NAB Show this year. We will instead proceed with a two-pronged approach to deliver as much value as possible under these circumstances to our exhibitors, partners, and the broadcast industry as a whole.

First, we are exploring a number of ways to bring the industry together online, both in the short and long term. We know from many years of serving the community with face-to-face events, that connectivity is vital to the health and success of the industry. That’s why we are excited to announce NAB Show Express, targeted to launch in April 2020. This digital experience will provide a conduit for our exhibitors to share product information, announcements and demos, as well as deliver educational content from the original selection of programming slated for the live show in Las Vegas, and create opportunities for the community to interact virtually—all of which adds up to something that brings the NAB Show community together in a new way.

Second, we will be enhancing NAB Show New York with new programs, partners, and experiences. We have already had numerous conversations with show partners about expanding their participation, and have heard from numerous exhibitors interested in enhancing their presence at this fall’s show. NAB Show New York represents the best opportunity for companies to announce and showcase their latest innovations and comes at a perfect time for the industry to gather face-to-face to restart, refocus, and reengage as we move forward together.

We will have more to say about these efforts in the coming weeks. This is a unique and challenging situation, but we are committed to working hard to deliver as much value as possible.

We’re also committed to being an active part of the solution to the current crisis in the months ahead. Last week we launched a new public service announcement campaign on radio and television that will provide crucial information to keep communities safe. The PSAs are part of a comprehensive Coronavirus Response Toolkit that we have made available online to help broadcasters accurately cover the pandemic and prepare for the threat it poses to their staff, communities, and businesses. We’ll be doing more in the weeks to come to harness the power of our industry as a force for good in these difficult times.

As we move forward, we will keep an open line of communication with our show community, and look forward to engaging with you throughout the year. We’ve already begun planning for our 2021 NAB Show in Las Vegas, which will take place April 11-14th, and we hope you’ll join us then, as well as this fall.

We look forward to connecting with you, and hope that you and your loved ones remain safe in the months to come.

Best,

Gordon H. Smith
President and CEO

Original Report 3/11: The National Association of Broadcasters has announced the cancellation of the 2020 NAB Show scheduled for April 18-22, 2020.

The organization is considering a “number of potential alternatives to create the best possible experience for our community” and will make announcements once decided upon including possibly rescheduling the event for later this year. A number of vendors had announced their intentions in the past few days not to attend.

NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith today issued the following letter to the NAB Show community regarding plans for NAB Show in light of coronavirus concerns:

Dear NAB Show community,

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. Smith
President and CEO