On April 23-27, technologists will gather for the 2022 NAB Show in Las Vegas, NV. This year will be the first time the show has been held in person since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020.

“We’re getting back to business. There were many innovations in the exhibit and convention space during the pandemic providing virtual platforms to help keep buyers and sellers connected, create networking opportunities, and publicize product launches,” said NAB senior vice president of communications Ann Marie Cumming. “However, there’s nothing that can replicate an in-person experience like NAB Show. Our exhibitors are eager to get back to doing business face-to-face and meeting with potential clients to talk about their needs. Attendees get hands-on experience with new products and can interact with the leading innovators in their field to prepare for the latest trends. And there’s nothing like running into an old friend on the show floor or meeting a new connection that leads to your next project.”

The 2022 NAB Show will feature distinct destinations focused on four main pillars associated with the content lifecycle: Create, Connect, Capitalize, and the newly added Intelligent Content.

“We are reimagining NAB Show to more closely mirror today’s media, entertainment, and technology ecosystem in a way that is intuitive and makes it easier for attendees to navigate the event,” said Chris Brown, executive vice president and managing director, Global Connections and Events.

“We have also created new experiential zones focused on ‘Inspiration’, ‘Innovation’, and ‘Implementation’,” added Cumming. “In these areas, attendees will have hands-on opportunities to engage with the latest products on the market, hear about cutting-edge ideas that are shaping the future of content, and gain valuable insight from prominent thought leaders in their industry.”

NAB Show 2022 Health and Safety

The COVID pandemic has continually shifted tradeshow and event health protocols. So what is NAB doing to keep show attendees safe and healthy?

“The health and safety of everyone involved in NAB Show is our top priority,” stated Cumming. “We have consulted with global, national, and local public health officials to put together appropriate policies and guidelines.”

Proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID test is required for every NAB Show participant. Event organizers are instituting a touchless registration system for attendee badge pick-up, and providing socially distanced seating in meeting rooms and floor theaters. In addition, NAB is increasing access to health care options for attendees and providing a free contact tracing app to keep the NAB Show community informed.

For the current health and safety protocols, visit nabshow.com/2022/attend/health-and-safety/.

NAB Show 2022 Trends

With the Create, Connect, Capitalize, and Intelligent Content Showcases—plus new experiential zones—there’s sure to be a lot to explore at NAB Show 2022. But what trends will be front and center?

While artificial intelligence (AI) will likely never replace human creativity in terms of content creation, it can definitely help. “We’re expecting to see a deep interest in the role of AI in live content production and management at the event,” said Mobius Labs’ CEO and chief scientist Appu Shaji. “Many media and broadcasting companies around the world are already leveraging computer vision technology to streamline their workflows and productively manage their content archives. We’re thrilled to perceive and contribute to this transformation, and are hoping to see engaging discussions about this at the NAB Show.”

On that note, Mobuis Labs has developed a powerful AI vision solution for fast analysis of video content, providing sports broadcasters with a range of intuitive new ways to search, discover, analyze, and manage live and on-demand sport video content; this includes brand and logo detection, face recognition, and product placement that improves audience engagement and sport content monetization. Shaji and others will be present in the company’s booth to help professionals discover how its AI can help to monetize platforms; they’ll also be presenting exclusive demos of the company’s technology and real life use-cases and client stories. Mobius Labs can be found at NAB Show 2022 in Booth W5900.

One of the show highlights will be advancements in virtual production, which has grown tremendously in popularity over the course of the pandemic. “I’m definitely excited to see how virtual production is presented during the show,” said Kevin O’Connor, head of new media sales and business development at Sony Electronics. “Virtual production has grown exponentially since our last in-person NAB Show, and its usage accelerated due in part to the limitations presented by the pandemic. Creators are realizing the numerous benefits and efficiencies it provides. For many of the show’s attendees, this might be their first true glimpse at the power of virtual production.”

“People often think they know what to expect from Sony, but I invite emerging tech professionals to see our booth to understand how we are helping pioneer and drive the adoption of new areas of business—from virtual production, to cloud, IP, AR, and AI,” he added. “We’re always hard at work listening to the needs of the market and coming up with innovative technologies to address the current environment and account for the future. While most people know and trust Sony’s cameras, I urge you to check out some of the extremely transformative solutions that are helping creative professionals to do their jobs in more imaginative, smarter and flexible ways.”

In addition to its NAB Show 2022 presence in Booth C10901, Sony will also be livestreaming its stage presentations on trending topics and bringing those who can’t attend content straight from the show floor. To learn more, visit Sony’s NAB Show website at pro.sony/NAB.

Virtual production will also be a focus for Blackmagic Design in Booth N302. “With so much in flux over the past couple of years, we are interested to hear how attendees are handling their approach to current and future projects,” said Bob Caniglia, director of sales operations for the Americas, Blackmagic Design. “We’re excited to hear how our customers might be incorporating new and creative content strategies into their latest efforts to engage audiences, such as hybrid production models, decentralized workflows, virtual production, and remote collaboration processes.”

“Blackmagic Design offers a number of multi-purpose and collaborative solutions that satisfy a variety of needs and budgets, so any broadcaster or creator can easily create a professional, customized workflow,” he added. “We have products for every budget that are powerful and future proof, so you can streamline your workflow and maximize efficiency, while still supporting your evolving needs.”

Like the others, Dr. Nandhu Nandhakumar, senior vice president, LG Electronics, agrees that the pandemic has completely changed the world of broadcast and content creation. “The pandemic has caused a major paradigm shift in how creatives ideate, collaborate, generate, and distribute new entertainment content. The highly distributed and home-based work culture that has emerged has galvanized deployment of cloud-based workflows, IP and file-based exchange of content, and virtual production studios,” he said.

“All of this has created a massive demand for cost-effective, highly accurate reference displays with features that support these new workflows,” he added. “Also hot at NAB 2022 will be NEXTGEN TV powered by ATSC 3.0. As co-developer of the next-generation broadcast standard, LG is looking forward to hearing more at the show about broadcast deployments and emerging tech trends such as ATSC 3.0 harmonization with 5G, for example.”

In the LG booth (C2631), emerging tech professionals are sure to find discussions with LG staff to be rewarding on both a professional and personal level, according to the company. While at the booth, visitors can expect to see innovative display solutions, led by the new LG Pro monitors, for many of the critical use cases that video professionals commonly address.

See you at NAB Show 2022

With virtual production, artificial intelligence, and immersive experiences front and center at the 2022 NAB Show, tech professionals won’t want to miss out.

“Our exhibitors and attendees are very excited to be back at NAB Show, and we are excited to share the amazing experience we have in store for them,” concluded Cumming. “There is a lot of built-up anticipation for the 2022 NAB Show and we’re seeing momentum really start to build, especially in recent weeks. I know everyone in the NAB Show community can’t wait to see their friends and colleagues again, attend cool and engaging sessions, get their hands on the latest gadgets and finally get back to doing business face-to-face.”

To stay up-to-date with the latest show news, visit our NAB Show 2022 hub.