NEW YORK—NAB announced yesterday that SMPTE will be moving its annual SMPTE Summit to NAB Show New York starting in 2027. The two events, which are held in October and November—and on opposite coasts, respectively—will now take place in Manhattan.
The SMPTE Summit will take place Sept. 28-30, with the NAB Show New York occurring Sept. 29-30. The SMPTE Summit has traditionally been held over four days with the 2026 SMPTE Summit taking place Nov. 16-19 in Pasadena; the 2027 event is being cut back one day. Both will take place at the Javits Center.
This marks the first time SMPTE has held its summit on the east coast since 2005.
“We’re excited to bring the SMPTE Summit back to New York alongside NAB Show,” said Sally-Ann D’Amato, Executive Director of SMPTE. “This is a natural fit for our organizations and a tremendous opportunity for the industry. Together, we can connect the people developing the standards and technologies of tomorrow with those putting them to work today.”
SMPTE has been a regular participant at NAB Show New York, holding its SMPTE Bootcamp: Precision Timing for ST 2110 event during both days of this year's gathering.
The announcement was made at the conclusion of NAB Show New York, which ended Thursday at the Javits Center. The show featured two days of sessions and exhibit floor demos focused on media and entertainment transformation, the impact of artificial intelligence on production costs and the changing economics and opportunities of live sports.
NAB reported initial attendance of just over 6,700 attendees, compared to 11,500 at the 2025 event (NAB says further details will be shared in the coming weeks).
About 57% attended for the first time, with participants from 72 countries. Some 250 exhibitors and sponsors showcased the latest tools and technologies driving the media and entertainment industry forward.
Educational programming included 101 sessions with 156 speakers.
“From new business models to next-gen tools, industry leaders shared how they’re using emerging technology to move their businesses forward.” said Karen Chupka, executive vice president, Global Connections and Events at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). “That’s part of the value of bringing the people into the same room who finance content, produce it and develop the technology. They don’t all approach these questions in the same way.”
Innovation was on full display across the show floor, where advances in AI, streaming and production technology sparked lively discussions and hands-on exploration. The energy reflected an industry eager to embrace new possibilities and turn emerging technologies into creative and business opportunities.
Who Owns the Content — and Who Profits?
During “The Great Media Reshuffling,” moderated by CNBC’s Alex Sherman, Apollo Global Management partner Aaron Sobel predicted that AI could significantly improve the economics of filmmaking.
“If you think about the cost that can come out of the system, AI can reduce a budget for a movie 5, 10, 15, 20% — not today, in a few years,” Sobel said. “It’s going to make movies much more profitable and make them faster, and it’s going to allow you to test them and develop them faster.”
Thursday’s creator-focused sessions, “From Following to Franchise” and “When Everyone Can Create, What Wins?,” explored how creators can build sustainable businesses and distinguish their content as production tools become more accessible. During the former, Christine Cotter, managing director and head of social innovation at 360i/dentsu, urged advertisers to treat influencers as creative partners.
“Influencers are brands. They’re not just people that you brief. They’re not a vendor. They’re not a tactic,” she said.
What Sports Are Worth — to Networks and Fans
Sports commentator Clay Travis urged broadcasters to experiment with new approaches to building audiences rather than expecting immediate results during “Game On: The Power of Sports on Broadcast.”
“I think you have to be experimental. I’m a data guy, but I’ll try a lot of things,” Travis told NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt. “Scale comes with time, but it also comes with experiment.”
LeGeyt emphasized that major sports rights also help local broadcasters finance news and other community programming.
New York Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky, speaking with Stathletes co-founder Meghan Chayka, discussed efforts to attract new audiences and promote individual NHL players. He cited an unexpected source of growing interest in hockey.
“‘Heated Rivalry’ has increased across the [National Hockey League] women’s attendance at hockey games 45 percent,” Ledecky said, referring to the popular TV drama.
When New Technology Meets Live Production
Maria Stefanopoulos of ABC News’ “Good Morning America” emphasized that even as technology advances, experienced producers must still be able to improvise when things go wrong during live broadcasts.
“A plan on paper means nothing when it’s 6:58 and the plan doesn’t work,” Stefanopoulos said.
At “Leading Without Boundaries,” Sandi Stambaugh, senior vice president of revenue operations at TD SYNNEX, stressed that organizations must address inefficient processes before implementing AI, warning that technology alone cannot solve underlying operational problem
