Tariff Turmoil: Trump's Trade Policy Sparks Uncertainty at NAB and Increases Focus on Software Adoption Many NAB attendees described a state of limbo with more questions than answers. By George Bevir, Editorial Director, SVG Europe
Friday, April 25, 2025 - 11:44 am
Print This Story
At this year's NAB Show, the impact of US tariffs loomed large over discussions on the exhibition floor. With President Trump's so-called Liberation Day' list of tariffs revealed to the world just a couple of days before NAB opened its doors, the topic of trade policies and the impact on suppliers of technology to the media industry was a key part of many conversations.
NAB 2025: Attendees in the South Hall
A baseline 10% tariff on all goods imported to the US was set to take effect on April 5, followed by further, higher tariffs on a long list of named countries a few days later. Since then, various adjustments have followed, with some tariffs paused by the end of the show and Trump this week saying that his administration would lower the 145% tariff on goods imported to the US from China.
And it was a combination of rapidly changing policies, unclear implementation guidelines, and unpredictable enforcement that created what many NAB attendees described as a state of limbo , with more questions than answers.
A senior manager at one manufacturer, who asked not to be named, told SVG: It will impact on sales to the US, but we've not started to adjust pricing yet. It's something we could do, but I think like a lot of other people we're waiting to find out what happens.
Co-founder of Caretta Research Rob Ambrose said that on the NAB show floor there was a mix of reactions.
While many were expecting the tariffs to change again before they really impact - as indeed, they partly did on the final day of the show- some vendors (including hardware-focused ones) were refusing to talk about it, while some were talking about increasing product assembly within the US.
For example, Canada-based Evertz plans to expand operations at its US manufacturing facility in Indiana, Pennsylviania.
We'd already been investing in manufacturing there, Mo Goyal, senior director, international business development/live media production, Evertz told SVG. We're now expediting that investment to address some of the tariff concerns that our US customers have. We are not building from scratch; instead, we're expanding that facility to bring in some local workers, adding to the team there, producing equipment there for local broadcast customers in the U.S.
Ambrose said the most common comment was it won't affect our customers', implying that vendors would absorb the impact of any tariffs.
While many media tech hardware products have high margins, swallowing the tariffs would impact already-precarious vendor profitability which isn't good for the longer-term health of the industry, he said.
For some companies based outside the US, the impact is already quantifiable. One manufacturer manufacturing in the UK and Japan noted, It has affected our general price list by around 20% for US customers, as of last Thursday (the week prior to NAB) .
Others acted further ahead of time, with Israel-based Waves increasing prices on hardware over 10% in February, in line with what the tariff increases were expected to be.
SmallHD and Teradek announced price increases before NAB began, explaining that although our products are designed and assembled in America, the increased import tariffs still heavily impact our supply chain.
Another manufacturer said: It will impact on sales to the US, but we've not started to adjust pricing yet. It's something we could do, but I think like a lot of other people we're waiting to find out what happens.
Futuresource Consulting lead market analyst, professional video and broadcast Joyce Wang said that many companies have adopted a wait-and-see tactic as Trump's tariff policies are changing frequently.
She said: As of now, Trump has paused higher trade tariffs for 90 days for most countries, excluding China. To prepare for the impact of the tariffs, some companies are diversifying their supply chains by planning to open new factories in different countries or shifting production locations depending on the tariffs. Some hardware manufacturers are also considering a price hike for US end-users.
Blackmagic Design was the first camera manufacturer to increase prices on products sold in the US, but, as the company explained, shifting manufacturing to the US to avoid tariffs on goods sold to US-based companies is not entirely straightforward because the cost of parts imported from overseas incur their own tariffs.
A chart created by Caretta Research which asserts that although it's still a big slice for several key vendors, only a relatively small proportion of the overall market value is hardware sold in the US. More here.
And it is proprietary hardware devices, such as cameras, switchers, routers and infrastructure products, that are among the products expected to be affected more than others.
Said Ambrose: Many of these are made outside the US in places like Canada and China that are potentially most exposed to the tariffs. So far software, services and cloud are unaffected, though there's always the risk of retaliatory tariffs against the US hyperscalers and digital services businesses which dominate global markets.
Read more NAB 2025 in Review: Broadcast Audio Faces a Future of Tariff-Induced Higher Costs
Meanwhile, some manufacturers are considering creative workarounds by, for example, adjusting products to meet different tax classifications and exploring alternative pricing options for hardware and software.
A hardware vendor explained to SVG: The tariffs are on the hardware, but this piece of hardware
North America Stories
18/05/2026
Despite a bumpy start to the year, the provider of event-production support and ...
18/05/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the University of North Carolina to manufacture and install 11 LED displays totaling more than 10,000 square feet and more than 14...
18/05/2026
CBS LA has announced a multi-year partnership with the Los Angeles Rams, covering exclusive local broadcasts of Rams preseason games, weekly year-round programm...
18/05/2026
Skyline Communications has announced an integration between its DataMiner xOps p...
18/05/2026
eCLUTCH, the hybrid esports platform powered by iKOMG, has announced an expansion of its distribution across Europe, MENA, Africa, and Asia, along with new cont...
18/05/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/05/2026
With 22 games this season, the production team looks forward to tweaking and enhancing the coverage
After 8,660 days off the air, the WNBA returned to NBC yest...
18/05/2026
(L-R) Midori Francis and Natalie Erika James attend the Saccharine premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 22, 2026, in ...
18/05/2026
The Australian Defence Force uses L3Harris T4 and T7 robots for explosive ordnan...
18/05/2026
Continued investment across Europe and Germany is expanding local teams and improving access to stock, regional expertise, and specialist broadcast support.
CV...
17/05/2026
Back to All News
Oasis Premieres on Netflix June 19
Entertainment
17 May 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Summer, sunshine, the beach, parties. T...
16/05/2026
Boris FX Continuum Pairs AI Precision and Advanced Creative Controls
Jessie Electa Petrov May 16, 2026
0 Comments
The 2026.5 release adds automatic de...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC, in partnership with RAVE Foundation an...
15/05/2026
Dan Brumm has served as sound designer on Bluey, the Australian children's t...
15/05/2026
The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) and Shure Incorporated are accepting applications for the 6th annual Mark Brunner Professional Audio Schola...
15/05/2026
Netflix has announced an expanded NFL schedule for 2026 and beyond under a four-year partnership extension with the NFL through the 2029-30 season. Each season,...
15/05/2026
Ateme is supporting TVRI (Televisi Republik Indonesia) with a contribution and d...
15/05/2026
Concacaf has announced the launch of a new website and mobile app built on Deltatre's FORGE platform. Concacaf.com and the mobile app, available on iOS and ...
15/05/2026
Eutelsat has announced the launch of QBC Business Economic Channel by Qatar Media Corporation, broadcasting in 4K/UHD via Eutelsat's 7/8 West video neighbo...
15/05/2026
Major League Soccer has announced four original content series timed to the 2026...
15/05/2026
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) has announced it will exhibit and present at InfoComm 2026, taking place June 13-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Cente...
15/05/2026
InfoComm 2026 will take place June 13-19 (exhibits June 17-19) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The show will include sessions and exhibits covering broadcas...
15/05/2026
Tracy McGrady's Ones Basketball League (OBL) and FuboTV Inc. have announced ...
15/05/2026
Disguise has partnered with Creative Technology (CT) to deliver visual playback ...
15/05/2026
Sony Electronics has announced two new products for professional imaging: the Alpha 7R VI full-frame mirrorless camera and the FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS super-te...
15/05/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
15/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
15/05/2026
For sports organizations, the most valuable assets are often the most sensitive:...
15/05/2026
The NFL's broadcast partners released their 2026 regular season schedules ye...
15/05/2026
Besides drawing on experience with boxing, the production integrates specialty c...
15/05/2026
Daniel Roher attends the Tuner Premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at Eccles Theatre on January 22, 2026 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Neilson Bar...
15/05/2026
86% of media planners would move more linear TV budget to CTV if they had show-level targeting and reporting - and 65% would also shift dollars from programmati...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Clear-Com will showcase new communications solutions and major platform updates at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N7005), June 17-19, in the North and Central Halls of t...
15/05/2026
Following an outstanding inaugural year in 2025, Rise AV is proud to announce the return of its flagship leadership initiative, Elevate. The programme continues...
15/05/2026
Berklee Announces Lineup for Inaugural AI Music Summit The three-day event puts musicians at the center of the future of music creation, ethics, and the indus...
15/05/2026
Lightware returns to InfoComm 2026 with a focused showcase of scalable USB-C connectivity, next-generation AV-over-IP solutions, and technologies that help over...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Delivering a live, arena-scale production of a massively popular band is no small feat. Between expansive in-arena LED walls and a global live stream fed to onl...
15/05/2026
Connection is the heartbeat of any strong community, and with live streaming becoming more accessible in the modern era, it's much easier for faith-based or...
15/05/2026
Powered by GX 3 media servers, optimised IP-VFC workflows and on-site engineering expertise, the production delivers high-performance visuals for one of the wor...
Tariff Turmoil: Trump's Trade Policy Sparks Uncertainty at NAB and Increases Focus on Software Adoption Many NAB attendees described a state of limbo with more questions than answers. By George Bevir, Editorial Director, SVG Europe 
