So, the official attendance numbers have been released from the NAB and apparently attendance was down from last year. If you were keeping up with Broadcast Engineering's blog coverage, there were a few posts from editor Brad Dick that particularly mention a slight but noticeable amount of extra space when walking the aisles. Is it the economy? Are people going to other shows?

I think it's definitely both. I mean, in our extended discussion in the forum about Apple and Avid pulling out of NAB last year, one of the main reasons that everyone offered up was that the companies simply didn't find it cost-effective to have space at the show itself (but did have a presence nonetheless). Let's face it, for anyone (companies, media, your average broadcaster) these shows are expensive. In this sort of economic environment, it makes sense that companies would be carefully considering the pros and cons of going to NAB.

And in considering whether to attend NAB, I'm sure a lot of smaller niche companies chose to drop out this year in favor of another show(s) that targets their specific audience in a better way. A good example of this is UK telestrator/multiviewer provider e-mediavision.com. I met with managing director Kash Acharya on the Wednesday of NAB to talk about some of the company's new offerings. And, as I routinely do, I asked about how the company was being received at the show. He responded less than enthusiastically, because his company is looking to target the technologists and people behind the scenes, not so much the broadcasters themselves. This isn't to say that e-mediavision.com is done w/ NAB, just that the company is looking for other shows that are more niche oriented. But, he did mention the convergence of the newsroom operators, and how, soon enough, the technological lines in the newsroom are becoming blurred, which will give rise to the "dreaded" broadcast technologist......but more on that later.
 

Covering audio, I spent most of the show in the North Hall. There are always complaints about traffic in audio world, and this year was no exception. But I also heard henthusiasm from a number of exhibitors, who felt that the quality of the traffic they received was outstanding. My own observation was that North Hall traffic was normal compared to recent years -- maybe even up a little. The folks I felt sorry for were those toward the back of South Upper Hall. In my one visit there (Wed. morning), it seemed very quiet.

Overall, I didn't see much difference in traffic this year. And outside the exhibits, I thought NAB did an outstanding job in terms of programming.