M+E Daily
IBC 2020 Amsterdam Canceled Due to Pandemic
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IBC announced May 18 that its annual September media, entertainment and technology conference in Amsterdam will not take place, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Instead, IBC CEO Michael Crimp said in a statement that, much like what NAB did with its digital NAB Show Express event last week (in place of its annual April Las Vegas conference), IBC will look to offer a digital experience, via its IBC365 platform.
The Media & Entertainment Services Alliance (MESA) has followed suit, and canceled its IBC Show LAmsterdam networking event, held annually at the Café Zwart. Prior to IBC’s digital event, MESA will host another two-day round of its popular Take the DAM(n) Tour live, virtual event, a guided rundown of the hottest media management providers that were set to be showcased on the IBC Show floor.
The cancelation of the physical IBC Show, while disappointing, was expected, Crimp said, with social distancing, travel restrictions, masks and a host of novel coronavirus unknowns compromising IBC’s ability to host the gathering in the way it has every year since 1967.
The IBC Show joins a growing list of major tech conferences to be moved to digital platforms or canceled altogether due to concerns over COVID-19, including Mobile World Congress, SXSW, E3, Google I/O, Adobe Summit, Facebook F8, IBM Think, Dell World and the NAB Show. IBC 2019 drew more than 56,000 attendees from 150 countries around the world, with more than 1,700 exhibitors.
“It has … become evident, through our dialogue with the IBC community, that an early decision is preferential for the industry so it can plan for the future,” Crimp said. “… Based on what we know at this point, it is with a heavy heart IBC has made the difficult decision to cancel the IBC 2020 show. You may have seen IBC and the IABM surveys on this topic. Evidence gathered from these IBC stakeholders helps to confirm this decision.
“Your views continue to help shape IBC. If you have suggestions, questions or concerns regarding this decision and announcement please do not hesitate to contact us using our dedicated email address [email protected].”
