The National Association of Broadcasters has canceled its annual convention in Las Vegas, one of the largest annual trade fairs in the U.S., due to an increase in Covid-19 infections.
The increase in the Delta variant has wreaked havoc on various plans across society, but especially in the media sector and for large meetings. Headquartered in Washington, DC, NAB is the trading group and broadcast industry pressure organization. Although local and network televisions face intense struggles as broadcasting becomes an important form of distribution, NAB remains a force in the CC media mix.
Gordon Smith, a former Oregon Republican senator, has led the NAB since 2009. In a statement, he expressed regret over the cancellation. “It is with a heavy heart that I share with you that we will not be holding the NAB Show in person this year as originally planned,” he said. “JoIt has become clear that we will not be able to offer the kind of NAB Show experience of 2021 that our industry has expected or that meets the high standards we set. ”
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In announcing the cancellation of 2021, the NAB noted that next year’s program is scheduled for April 23-27, 2022,
The NAB Show usually attracts tens of thousands of visitors from around the world. While traditional “big iron” teams have been overshadowed by the broadcast, the change has been a plus for the show, with a number of people interested in downstream transmission technology in Las Vegas for the event. . In 2020, its annual spring edition was held virtually because of Covid, with the 2021 show driven in the fall in hopes that it could be performed in person. Because infection rates remained stubbornly high, especially in Las Vegas, the extent of the event, as well as the travel element, made it impossible to continue.
CinemaCon, a smaller event, was personally organized in Las Vegas last month, but the NAB Show is big enough that the vaccine mandate and other protocols would be difficult to enforce. In 2019, the NAB said more than 91,000 people attended the show, which is run by the Las Vegas Convention Center each year, along with several hotels around and off the Strip.
Chris Brown, NAB’s vice president and general manager of global connections and events, said the organization has been preparing for more than a year. “Unfortunately, the pandemic and the rise of the Delta variant have presented unexpected and insurmountable challenges for our global community,” it said in a statement. “Because we have always kept the best interest and safety of the industry as a priority, it has become clear in the face of these challenges that we can no longer effectively host NAB Show or our co-located events, radio program and sales and Management of Television Stock Exchange, in person. “
Echoing Smith’s comments, he added: “We will not go ahead with a program that offers anything less than the excellence our community has expected and deserved from us. Although we are disappointed that we will not be together again in person next month, we look forward to converging on the 2022 NAB Show, April 23-27, 2022, to rekindle our passion for our business and focus on a bright future. ”