Following the announcement earlier this week that Panasonic would not be attending IBC, Ross Video has also confirmed it will not be attending this year’s show.
Ross’s decision to withdraw from the show had been rumoured for a while.
In a statement, the company said that while it understands that the public health situation will likely be more positive by September, “it is clear to us that social distancing rules are likely to remain in force for the remainder of the year, and many countries will still be tightly regulating international travel and large gatherings and events.
“Given these facts, and the possibility of visitors to Amsterdam contributing to a second wave of infection, we cannot commit to the IBC exhibition in good conscience.”
Ross Video CEO David Ross added, “Everyone wants the world to return to normal as soon as possible, but not at any cost. The media industry has played an important role in spreading and reinforcing the message that social distancing saves lives. It’s therefore incongruous for the same media industry to try and hold one of the world’s first very large international gatherings.
“We value the IBC exhibition and it’s an important part of our annual calendar, but our approach to the Covid-19 virus has consistently prioritised health and welfare. Our decision is based on that same principle, and I would call on the organisers of IBC to follow suit, remove any uncertainty, and cancel the event for 2020.”
