COVID-19 Scare Forces SXSW to Cancel, but NAB Says Its Show Will Go On

But the coronavirus scare claimed its largest show casualty yet with Friday's cancellation of SXSW in Austin. The cancellation came after several major tech exhibitors had defected, but promoters said the city of Austin pulled the plug out of public health concerns. "We are devastated to share this news with you," they said.

The COVID-19 outbreak is a “serious public health threat,” but “the immediate risk” to the Las Vegas public “remains low at this time,” said the Southern Nevada Health District. The male patient in his 50s diagnosed Thursday in Clark County as Nevada’s first “presumptive positive” case of COVID-19 is hospitalized in “airborne isolation,” said the agency. It didn’t list his condition and didn’t respond to email queries.

The patient recently traveled to Washington state, “where community spread of the virus is being reported,” said the district. Washington state also was where the first U.S. COVID-19 deaths were reported. The man also traveled to Texas, “which recently reported its first travel-associated case,” it said: “The Health District is working with its health care partners and leading the effort to quickly identify close contacts of the patient.”

Word came Thursday that an Ontario, Canada, man in his 40s tested positive for coronavirus after returning home Feb. 23 from a conference in Las Vegas. He’s recuperating at home, reported the Toronto Star. His was the fourth COVID-19 case confirmed in a single day in the province. Authorities didn’t answer our queries asking what conference he attended in Las Vegas.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention counted 164 confirmed coronavirus cases in 19 states through Thursday. It was a single-day jump of 65 cases and six states. Eleven people died nationally, said CDC. It updates the count weekdays at noon using data received through 4 p.m. the previous day.

NAB is aware of “multiple confirmed cases” of the coronavirus in Nevada, said organizers Friday, referencing a second positive test result in the Reno area involving a man in his 50s with ties to the outbreak on the Grand Princess cruise ship. “We are in touch with local public health officials, the convention center, and other partners on the ground to assess the situation and determine their increased protocols for the health and safety of Show guests,” said organizers. The show will go on “as planned” April 18-22, they said.

TVU Networks is withdrawing from the NAB Show for concerns “over the health and safety of employees, colleagues and their friends and family,” said the broadcast equipment supplier Friday. It will "miss" the in-person networking in Las Vegas, but "we’re prioritizing the well-being of our staff, colleagues, and their families at this very critical time.” Nikon withdrew from the show two days earlier for similar reasons.

PBS made “the difficult decision to cancel all upcoming PBS conferences,” including the April 15-17 TechCon at the MGM Grand, it told attendees Friday. “Your health and safety are our highest priority, and we believe this decision is in the best interest of our attendees and partners.” PBS also is “limiting non-essential business travel,” it said. It’s unclear if that means it’s skipping NAB.

The decision creates inconvenience, possibly also airfare monetary penalties, for those who had planned to attend both TechCon and NAB, acknowledged PBS. “Please reach out to your airline to cancel or amend your travel plans,” it said. “If you plan to attend NAB, you will need to rebook your hotel reservation.”

NAB Show exhibitor Sony said Thursday “it’s dealing with this fluid situation by assessing all the relevant data as it becomes available." It’s apparent many other NAB exhibitors and attendees are in the same boat.

Yet broadcasters and NAB Show exhibitors we canvassed said for now, their plans to attend the event haven’t changed despite the coronavirus headlines. “We are following the coronavirus very carefully," emailed a Tegna spokesperson. "We will take things in due course, but our plan is to be at NAB.” Separately, it was reported Friday that Gray Television made an offer to buy Tegna for $8.5 billion.

Neuhoff Communications CEO Beth Neuhoff said she will attend NAB with five of her employees because she has faith in show organizers to take the necessary precautions or cancel if that’s what is needed. Neuhoff would “hate” for the show to be canceled because it’s the best way for her company to learn about new equipment and business opportunities, she said.

Bill Harland, vice president-marketing at Electronics Research Inc., said COVID-19 hasn’t at all dented his company’s NAB plans. ERI has an exhibit on the main NAB floor, and has no plans to scale it back, he said. LPTV Spectrum Rights Coalition President Mike Gravino said he’s still planning to move forward with the LPTV Summit his organization holds during the show every year, but that he’s closely monitoring the news.

The hospitality industry is willing to work with entities that see the need to reschedule large events out of coronavirus concerns, said American Hotel and Lodging Association President Chip Rogers in an interview Wednesday. Most hotels have long followed CDC-recommended cleanliness protocols, he said. Lacking any federal restrictions on domestic U.S. travel, event cancellations aren’t warranted, Rogers said in a panel discussion the same day at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “An overreaction to fear could be worse than not taking precautions at all.”

At least one major trade show that precedes NAB at the Las Vegas Convention Center was still preaching business as usual. “We are proceeding as planned to hold a safe and successful” event, said organizers of the Conexpo construction-industry trade show opening Tuesday at LVCC. “Cancellations have been limited to China-based companies without U.S. operations.”

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which runs the LVCC, continues to monitor COVID-19 “and coordinate with health and state and federal officials,” emailed spokesperson Erica Johnson late Friday. “Travel restrictions have not been further imposed.” LVCVA remains “committed to following the protocols and guidance suggested by the CDC and the Southern Nevada Health District, as the safety and health of our employees and guests remains of utmost priority,” she said.