The 2021 NAB Show has been moved to October, National Association of Broadcasters president and CEO Gordon Smith announced Wednesday.
The event, which was originally slated for April 11-14, will now take place Oct. 9-13, 2021 in Las Vegas.
"As we look ahead to 2021 and beyond, our top priority is to deliver a successful NAB Show," Smith wrote in a letter to the NAB community. "We recognize the vital role NAB Show plays as a driver of innovation and an economic engine for the global media and entertainment industry. With that in mind, it is critical we act on your behalf and in a way that will best serve the long-term interests of the industry."
Smith added: "With any difficult decision, there are trade-offs. Moving NAB Show to October means we are considering alternative 2021 dates for NAB Show New York, held annually in October. On the plus side, the 2021 Radio Show will co-locate with NAB Show in Las Vegas as will NAB’s Sales and Management Television Exchange; and there is opportunity to add additional partner events. Beyond this, we have done our best to avoid direct conflicts with other domestic and international events, and have reached out to allied organizations and partners to both share our thinking in advance and to offer to work collaboratively toward turning this into an opportunity for all."
NAB took its 2020 NAB Show online earlier this year due to the pandemic, renaming the event NAB Show Express. The organization's 2020 NAB Show New York has also gone virtual and will run Oct. 19-29, 2020.
After NAB Show New York, the organization will launch NAB Amplify, an online marketplace.
Read Smith's full letter here.
