John Kurlander Fairlight EVO - Audio Media

Special ReportPM: If at some point the exhibition did fail,could the conference continue? Does the conferencedepend financially on the exhibition?RF: No, it’s not essential that two run side byside... People have always asked that the twocontinue to run alongside each other becausethe two feed off each other. For example, ifthere’s a session on digital mics, then peoplegoing to talk to manufacturers who aremanufacturing them and see the products, ismore likely in commercial terms to lead to a sale,than if there was no exhibition and it was just aconference by itself.PM: There are a number ofcommon complaints fromexhibitors, which I’d like toaddress here. One is thatthe organisation of theconference and exhibition,and sale of stand space, isleft very late.RF: Yes, it’s one of theseunfortunate things. It wasalways considered anadvantage that we weren’tin people’s faces and forcingthem to sign up. Wewere always told how niceit was dealing with the AES,which seems to have nowshifted... So yes, we certainlyhave intention to move this up and to startselling the shows earlier than we have in thepast, because it does seem now that that’s whatexhibitors prefer. They still make their decisionsvery late in many cases, but they still like to havethat opportunity.PM: How much information will you have aboutAES Europe 2011 at the 2010 show?RF: It’s probable that we will have full information,and be able to talk about it.PM: Such as date, place, ideas about content,and focus for the show? Is there going to beenough information for a manufacturer to basea decision on whether they can commit to 2011or not?RF: We will certainly do our best... We can’t givedetail about the content because it’s verydifficult to tie people down a year ahead as towhat they’re going to do, and what they’re goingto be able to do, but certainly yes, we can letpeople know more about what’s happening, andwe plan to do that.PM: The late arrival criticism also applies to theavailability of the exhibitor list. A lot of exhibitorsbase their decision on who else is coming – andit is a valid way to make a decision. Not making alist available until very late in the day puts everybodyat a disadvantage?…RF: ...It’s a chicken and egg: ‘let’s wait and seewho else is in, but we’re not in, so therefore,we’re not on the list...’ We try to tread a linebetween the two. The exhibitor list will go upon the website within the next week or two,when the technical programme and everythinggoes up. So by the end of the month (March), itshould all be up.PM: Marketing has in past years been criticisedfor being non-existent for the most part, and alsoleft very late. Is that a budget consideration?RF: It’s partly budget, but it’s also you know, a bitdifficult sometimes to bring out the best featuresof the show early becausethey’re still in the processof being planned... I thinkwe’ve got to change that totelling people what mighthappen, and maybe 10 percentwill change or fall out...we can do that much earlier.But we’ve always done it onthe basis of telling peoplewhat’s really happening,and so their decisions canbe based on fact...PM: Is that at the heart ofwhat’s been going on withAES? Is there a less commercialattitude than othershows to its business?RF: Yes, I think that’s certainly true. We existsolely for the industry, and all the money maderemains within the industry and goes to thethings that we do in standards, and technicalcommittees, education for students, and thatkind of thing. We’re not being run by an exhibitiontender... Not in as commercial a way as otherorganisations with considerably higher budgetsthan we have, and who make considerablyhigher profits as well.PM: It has been difficult over the last four or fiveyears – that’s been the kind of timescale, justfrom my own observations of the show, overwhich the numbers have dropped. Is that fair,five years?RF: Yes, the show has got smaller, but still fulfilsa very important and necessary function. ButI think you’ll find that is also reflected by thenumber of people who are in our business...Even since the turn of 2001, people’s budgetshave been slashed. It used to be that the broadcasterswould send 20 people to a show, nowthey’ll send two... I doubt those times will evercome back, but it will improve if the economyimproves. It’s difficult to say, of course.PM: I guess some of the commercial considerationsare rendered a bit irrelevant by the statusof the AES as a trade body, and a body that existssolely for the audio industry?RF: If you’re running a show just to be profitable,you will probably come to a different conclusionabout what’s important than if you’re runninga show as a service to the industry in which it’sheld. It doesn’t mean that you don’t try to actin some ways commercially, but certainly yourcriteria would be somewhat different... If wechanged our name, and were just a commercialorganisation looking to make a profit for whoeverowned us, then clearly we probably wouldchase other sectors of the market to chasethose dollars. But then there wouldn’t be anaudio show... We’re trying to maintain the audioindustry, which has been severely batteredand doesn’t have the same money to spend assome of the other sectors of the entertainmentindustry.PM: I guess it’s just difficult motivating peopleto see it like that. Exhibitors don’t owe the AES aliving, do they?RF: Absolutely not, no. This is the thing Paul,we need to support each other in the supportof our industry. We could just decide that, look,this is a complete waste of time, we’re just notgoing to bother running a convention any more.Is that doing a service to our industry? I don’tthink so... I think the important thing is that webuild up this show in London, which hasn’t hada pro audio show for a long time... We build thisup as much as we can so that in the future, thenext year will be even better... This is a centrefrontaudio show, and that’s what we’re supporting...We’re not doing it because we’re thinking,‘hmmm, wonder what we can do this year, ohwe’d better have another convention...’ It’s therebecause the industry wants it, and supports it.Yes, there are some companies that don’t wantto be there, and even if we did triple somersaultsand offered to pay them to come, they stillwouldn’t come on principle, but those are justa few people. The majority are either wantingto be there and are, or wanting to be there butcan’t because of budgetary requirements.That’s why we’re trying to make it as simple aswe can for people... You know you don’t have tobuild a huge stand just to show your face. So Ithink in a way we’re in this together. The moresuccessful we are, the more successful you are.PM: Looking into the near future, there’s goingto be an AES 2011 then?RF: Yes... Oh yes.........................AES Europe ConventionLondon, 22-25 May, 2010 www.aes.orgINFORMATIONAUDIO MEDIA APRIL 2010 23