(photo courtesy of NAB Show)
by Debbie Hall
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show, which focuses on entertainment, broadcasting, and media in conjunction with technology, took place in Las Vegas Convention Center from April 5 to April 9. The event attracted 55,000 registered attendees from 160 countries. Notably, 26% of these attendees traveled from outside the U.S., and 53% were registering for the first time. This increase in first-time registrants highlights the growing global appeal and relevance of the NAB Show.
The show explores the future of the evolving media and entertainment landscape. Hollywood is expanding, and Las Vegas is set to become a significant hub for film and television production with the development of two major studio projects: Summerlin Studios and Warner Bros. Studios Nevada. Documentaries and entertainment are being created and showcased on platforms that feature independent content creators, including YouTube and Twitch. Additionally, feature films are released in theaters and quickly follow up with streaming on platforms such as Netflix. Podcasts has transcended the platform of terrestrial talk radio and music is now discovered through social media and downloaded through Spotify and other outlets. NAB explored this disruption of how people are informed and entertained.
The NAB Show showcased nearly 1,100 exhibitors from around the globe, including 125 first-time participants. Notable global brands Adobe, AWS, including AT&T Business, Canon, Cisco, Dell Technologies, Fujifilm, Intel, Microsoft, Nikon, Quantum Corporation, Riedel, Sony, and Verizon Business were in attendance. The exhibit floor covered an area equivalent to more than eight soccer fields.
“NAB is the biggest trade show in our industry. This is our chance to show our portfolio to all our customers,” said said David Ross, CEO of Ross Video, a 2025 NAB Show exhibitor. Ross Video designs and manufactures production switchers, robotic camera systems, infrastructure systems, 3D motion graphics, and newsroom systems.
BMI, which manages commercial music rights licensing, and the NAB hosted a dinner and induction ceremony to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame. The event honored the National Football League (NFL) for its contributions to television broadcasting and recognized BMI singer/songwriter John Oates for his achievements in radio.
The NFL was inducted into the NAB Television Hall of Fame for its pioneering efforts in sports broadcasting, notably for televising the first NFL game in 1939. Rich Eisen, a broadcaster for NFL Network and host of The Rich Eisen Show, accepted the award on behalf of the NFL. Oates was inducted into the NAB Radio Hall of Fame for his five decades of contributions to radio, both as a solo artist and as the co-founder of the musical duo Hall & Oates.
Oats, after accepting the award, spoke about listening to radio and the music was “indelibly printed on my soul, my mind, and it’s the music that made me. I owe everything to radio.” Oats would perform some of his hits to an enthusiastic audience.
NAB also presented the Television Chairman’s Award to magicians and television personalities, Penn Jillette and Teller, long-time Las Vegas headliners during the “We Are Broadcasters” session.
NAB will host its East Coast show in New York City Oct. 21-23 and return to Las Vegas April 18-22, 2026. For more info, visit nabshow.com.
