Poll: Permanent NAB date change is not in the best interests of the media tech industry

TVBEurope reveals the results of our survey asking for your thoughts on NABs move to October in 2021

By Jenny Priestley

Published: September 16, 2020

TVBEurope reveals the results of our survey asking for your thoughts on NAB's move to October in 2021

target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin> TVBEurope reveals the results of our survey asking for your thoughts on NAB's move to October in 2021

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Over 90 per cent of respondents to TVBEurope's survey looking at the impact of NAB's move to October in 2021 said they think a permanent date change would not be in the best interests of the media tech industry.

Following last week's announcement that NAB 2021 will take place less than month after IBC, TVBEurope asked readers to tell us their thoughts on the date change.

On the question as to whether a permanent date change would be in the best interests of the industry, respondents offered a variety of reasons:

When it comes to showcasing new technology, most vendors will do a big launch at the first event and have a much smaller (if any) presence at the second event. Also, event fatigue is a thing, so its unlikely that NAB 2021 will have quite the same buzz, said one.

It's not going to be permanent but if it is, then the world is better off with one strong and truly international show' than two weak and/or regional shows. In that case, NAB is probably the winner, stated another.

Other responses included, Completely bonkers from a practical vendors perspective! , Maybe trade shows have had their day? , and This seems like a strategic move for one to consolidate into the other and potentially have two smaller show which span geographies.

Asked if the move would change their attendance at both shows, 44 per cent of respondents said it is too early to determine, while 37 per cent said they will attend IBC only. Only 10 per cent said they intend to visit both shows, compared to 84 per cent who said they would normally attend both IBC and NAB.

Another key area of insight was around how the change of date has affected their likely trade show attendance, with 61 per cent citing the purpose of having both major shows so close together and thereby reducing their value, while 19 per cent said the closeness of the dates meant it would not be possible to attend both shows.

Among responses from readers were issues around the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic. Many enterprise-scale media organisations have travel restrictions in place through the end of 2021, meaning lots of buyers won't attend either NAB or IBC next year, said one respondent. And, if these shows become local' or regional', they lose much of their value (much more so than them being close together).

Other responses included, As a value added reseller, October is a too busy a time catching end of year customer investments to spend a week in the US, and It is hotter and more humid in Las Vegas in October than it is in April.

NAB date change: The industry reacts

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LINK:	https://www.tvbeurope.com/business/poll-permanent-nab-date-change-is-n...
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