NAB 2020, which was scheduled to take place from 18-22 April in Las Vegas, USA, has been cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
The official announcement by the National Association of Broadcasters comes just a day after Adobe publicly pulled out of the show (at which point NAB organizers announced that they would be pressing on with the event), and following Nikon's earlier confirmation that it would not attend due to concerns over COVID-19.
"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," said NAB president and CEO, Gordon H Smith.
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"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.… 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."
It appears that the organization is leaving the door open for the show to take place at a later stage, with an FAQ post noting that a new date and location are under consideration.
"We are still weighing the best potential path forward, and we ask you for your patience as we do so," continued Smith. "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."
The group's October event, NAD Show New York, is still proceeding as planned, according to the same FAQ.
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