Ross Video Withdraws From IBC

Ross Video issued a statement this morning that it “regrets to announce that we are withdrawing from the annual IBC Conference & Exhibition,” scheduled to be held in Amsterdam Sept. 11-14.

The provider of TV production solutions said “2020 is proving to be an immensely challenging year for everyone; the worst international pandemic in a century has brought travel bans and lockdowns all around the world, with virtually no country untouched by the virus. While everyone at Ross 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.”

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 prioritized health and welfare. Our decision today is based on that same principle, and I would call on the organizers of IBC to follow suit, remove any uncertainty, and cancel the event for 2020.”