The National Association of Broadcasters said it is moving NAB Show New York online. It had been scheduled for Oct. 21-22 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.

That follows the decision to replace the canceled NAB Show in Las Vegas with the virtual NAB Show Express.

NAB executive VP Chris Brown broke the news in a letter Tuesday (June 9), saying the decision came after consultation with state and local officials in New York, as well as with the convention center.

No date for the online version, but it will still be sometime in the fall and be produced in association with Future Media Conferences. 

"We are developing a robust platform for exhibitors to share product information, provide demonstrations and make announcements," said Brown, "Additionally, the online event will provide premium educational content and unique opportunities for the community to network virtually. We will share additional details on the digital event in the coming weeks and months."

The National Association of Broadcasters said that about 40,000 people have accessed its "inaugural" NAB Show Express online marketplace/event, which was the association's effort to replicate, virtually, some of its cancelled NAB Show.

According to NAB, more than 1.6 million minutes of video has been consumed since the event launched May 13.

Registered participants can continue to access nabshowexpress.com, over 200 educational sessions and an online marketplace for 1,479 exhibiting companies through the end of August.

NAB suggested it would be offering hybrid versions of physical and virtual events going forward.

“NAB Show Express is only the beginning as we continue to develop our digital capabilities and platforms to better engage with our community year-round,” said NAB executive VP of conventions and business operations Chris Brown.

Broadcasting+Cable and Next TV have selected the winners of the 2020 Best of Show Special Edition Awards.

The special edition of the program was created this year in the absence of a physical spring NAB Show. The program highlights and helps promote outstanding new, recently introduced and pending products and services.

The winners of Best of Show Special Edition Awards from B+C and Next TV are:

At B+C:

Edge Networks -- Evoca Broadcast Television Service.

Maxon -- Cinema 4D.

At Next TV:

Firstlight Media -- QUICKPLAY TV STOREFRONT.

Wheatstone -- Remote Dimension Three Touch.

Winners have been selected (from entries) by panels of professional users and magazine and site editors. Other publications in the Future B2B media technology group have also announced Best of Show Special Edition Award winners, including TV Technology.

"Our thanks to the many companies that participated in this year's program under such unusual circumstances," Paul McLane, managing director of content in Future's B2B media technology group. "It's clear from the nominations and the outstanding winners that despite the current health crisis, technology innovation remains strong in our industry."

Winners and nominees will be featured in a Program Guide to be distributed shortly to 95,000 broadcast and media readers across Future's media brands.

FCC chair Ajit Pai told a virtual NAB Show audience Wednesday that their legacy public service commitment is "showing up in spades" during the pandemic. 

Fresh from the FCC's May 13 public meeting, Pai was able to appear at the NAB Show Express virtual convention to be interviewed by NAB President Gordon Smith only a couple of hours later. 

That was at least one advantage to the move from a Las Vegas convention center to online, where that double appearance by the chairman would not have been possible. 

Related: Smith Says Broadcasting Will Endure

FCC shifted to telework March 12 and Pai told Smith it has been a challenged managing two stir-crazy kids and working work in between bike rides and hide-and-seek. Pai's appearance was punctuated from the sounds of those kids in the background--Pai cited the "eloquence" of that input. 

Smith pointed out that the NAB had not yet been able to move into its new headquarters, and asked how the FCC was doing with its move, which was to have happened about the same time. Pai said its June moving date will be delayed at least a couple of months. 

Smith asked what the FCC is focusing on at the moment. 

Pai said that while he thought the pace might slow from home, FCC's work has actually sped up during the pandemic, including administering its Keep America Connected pledge for ISPs. He also cited working with broadcasters to extend deadlines. He said the FCC's employees had really stepped up and exemplified what it meant to be a public service. 

The FCC's focus has clearly been on broadband, but Smith steered him toward all the contributions broadcasters are making. 

Smith said broadcasters had been busy, too, with coverage, and charity work. He asked about the job broadcasters had been doing. Pai said broadcasters were showing why their one-to-many platform was so important, and the FCC should "cherish and encourage it" as much as possible. 

But Smith also asked Pai about that ISP connectivity pledge and gave the chairman time to explain the pledge, which he did, as well as giving broadband providers their due for complying and, in some cases, going beyond.  

Pai encouraged broadcasters to reach out and let the FCC no how it can help, because preserving the service is vital. Smith said waiving fees during the pandemic, as some broadcasters had asked, would be welcome news.  

The FCC voted Wednesday (May 13) to proceed with collecting those fees, but did ask for input on how it might mitigate the impact on broadcasters already taking an economic hit from the pandemic. The FCC's operational budget--north of $300 million--comes from fees on regulated entities including broadcasters.

Smith asked whether Pai would continue as chairman of move on into another job. Pai said the FCC was still in a sprint and he hadn't thought about what he was going to do when he crossed the finish line. "I will continue to give this my all," he said.  

Pai called Smith a role model from whom he had learned a lot about what to say and how to say it. Smith said he would support Pai for President, "and be happy to be your vice president."  

A reminder to participating companies that the deadline to nominate in the Special Edition "Best of Show" Awards is this Friday, May 1. 

As announced earlier, the new deadline was set to match up with the date of the new virtual version of the NAB Show.

The Special Edition Best of Show Awards program is an initiative of Multichannel News parent company Future to showcase new, innovative products introduced this spring for specialized technology users. 

Companies can nominate products for awards presented by the following publications and sites: TV Technology, TVBEurope, Digital Video, Government Video, Video Edge, Radio World, Pro Sound News, Sound & Video Contractor, B+C and Next TV.

Companies seeking guidance about which brand to enter for can find guidance here.

For more information about the Special Edition Best of Show Awards, visit the official website.