Las Vegas NAB Show makes no handshake policy, more exhibitors cancel

Two more major exhibitors have pulled out of the upcoming National Association of Broadcasters 2020 trade show held at the Las Vegas Convention Center — joining at least five others who have canceled their participation in the show citing coronavirus concerns.

Media technology firm Avid announced Tuesday it would be canceling its participation in NAB 2020, including all other trade conferences and in-person events globally for the next 60 days. Meanwhile, software company Adobe released a statement Monday saying it has decided to no longer attend the show this year.

Avid said it will also cancel their Avid Connect 2020 conference at Wynn Las Vegas on April 17-18, starting just prior to NAB’s show that runs April 18-22. The firm will instead host an online broadcast to introduce new products that it intended to showcase during Avid Connect and NAB, adding that “when public safety can be assured” it will host regional Connect events in several locations worlwide with details being announced at a later date.

Avid President and Chief Executive Jeff Rosica said in a statement it would use this opportunity “try new me methods and experiment with different approaches to better engage with our clients, users and the community around the globe.”

“While these were difficult decisions for Avid, and for me personally, we feel strongly that helping stop the spread and severity of the COVID-19 virus is not just the job of governments and healthcare providers, but the responsibility of every individual, organization and corporation around the globe,” Rosica said.

Adobe said the company has been monitoring the situation around coronavirus over the past few weeks before it came to the conclusion to withdraw from NAB.

“While we are disappointed, the health and safety of our employees, customers and partners are always our priority. We look forward to engaging with our NAB community through a digital experience in the near future,” according to a company statement.

Avid, Adobe and NAB did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Avid and Adobe’s announcement comes one week after exhibitor AJA Video Systems said it will not participate in the show. Other firms that have announced cancelations due to the risks from coronavirus include Nikon Group’s subsidiaries Nikon Inc. and MRMC, Zaxcom Inc., TVU Networks, Imagine Products Inc. and Ross Video.

Meanwhile, the trade organization LPTV Spectrum Rights Coalition is debating on whether it will attend and has even reached out to members to help them decide.

NAB outlined on its website that the show will still move forward saying about 96 percent of its exhibitors are still planning to attend and of the four percent that have canceled, more than 80 percent are from China and unable to attend due to travel restrictions.

The association said it is working with local public health officials, the convention center and other partners “to assess the situation and determine their increased protocols for the health and safety of show guests.”

The association also implemented a “no handshake policy…to help reduce the unnecessary spread of germs.”

Several other conventions continue to alter or outright cancel plans amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Contact Subrina Hudson at shudson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0340. Follow @SubrinaH on Twitter.