PARAMUS, N.J.—Worries about the ongoing spread of COVID-19 cases have prompted Sony Electronics to announce that it has withdrawn from in-person participation at trade shows in October, including the NAB Show and InfoComm.
Sony will, however, be hosting a press conference at the NAB Show in conjunction with the NAB prior to the show’s opening on Sunday, October 10 at 9am PT/12pm ET.
In making the move, Theresa Alesso, president, Pro Division, Sony Electronics issued a statement saying, “Sony Electronics has been closely monitoring the evolving situation of the COVID-19 Delta variant. With October on the horizon, we’ve considered the unprecedented circumstances and made the difficult decision that we will not be participating in person at next month’s NAB Show or InfoComm. While these events are an important forum to reach our customers and introduce new products, this is a choice we made to ensure we’re putting our employees’ and our partners’ health and well-being first. As the world continues to grapple with the pandemic and businesses adopt digital alternatives and online opportunities to prevent the spread of the virus, Sony Electronics will continue to communicate and engage with our customers and partners in interactive, accessible ways that allow us to safely deliver exciting product news and updates to a wide online audience. We’ll continue to monitor the situation and look forward to participating at industry events in-person at some point in the future.”
A Sony spokesperson also noted that “Sony will be providing videos and showcasing products and solutions on our websites and platforms throughout October.”
Ann Marie Cummings, senior vice president of communications at the NAB issued the following statement in response: “Sony is a valued partner, and we respect this difficult decision. We look forward to continuing to work with them to reach the NAB Show audience both in person and virtually. Recognizing that NAB Show is an economic engine for our industry, we are committed to delivering a productive in-person experience and have taken important steps to prioritize the safety of our community, including requiring proof of vaccination. We are pleased to host more than 600 exhibiting companies, ready to meet with buyers and get back to business in Las Vegas.”
Future, which owns TV Tech, is an NAB Partner and produces the NAB Show Daily.
