Avid CEO and CTO to Address Industry at NAB 2005; Executives will deliver individual keynote presentations on the transition to HD and the dynamics of digital rights managementTEWKSBURY, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 5, 2005--Avid Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVID) today announced that two of its executive officers - David Krall, president and chief executive officer, and Mike Rockwell, vice president and chief technology officer - will deliver keynote presentations to attendees of the MultiMedia World Conference at the 2005 National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention in Las Vegas, April 18 - 21.

Krall, who was selected to deliver one of six Super Session keynotes at this year's conference, will address 500 - 700 attendees with a presentation titled "Look Before You Leap: The Dollars and Sense of Transitioning to HD." In his presentation, Krall will help content creators navigate the HD production landscape by exploring the evolution and continued proliferation of HD content in the film, television, and broadcast industries. Rockwell will present "The Download on Digital Rights Management" to an estimated 300 industry professionals, focusing on copy protection and security issues associated with file-based media production and distribution. Both keynote presentations will be followed by panel discussions, with questions and commentary by industry executives and thought leaders.

"Every year, the NAB brings together the world's most prestigious innovators of digital media and communications technology," said Krall. "We're looking forward to sharing ideas and framing a range of issues that pertain to the content creation landscape - and then drilling down on the topics with leaders who have distinct expertise in these areas."

Rockwell added, "No other conference offers an opportunity to reach such a globally diverse audience of industry influencers. We're honored that we've been selected to explore key topics that are shaping the future of the industry."

Look Before You Leap: The Dollars and Sense of Transitioning to HD

The media industry is undergoing a significant transformation with the rapid evolution and acceptance of high-definition content. In fact, the transition from standard- to high-definition marks the first time since the move from black-and-white to color television nearly 50 years ago that broadcast standards have changed so drastically. In his keynote address, Krall will explore the transition to HD and examine a range of complex decisions that content creators face when determining how to best Make, Manage, and Move Media^™ in HD, including acquisition and post formats, image quality, storage, and workflow implications.

The panel discussion to follow Krall's keynote will dissect the "before and after" of incorporating HD into the content-creation process, examine the value chain of HD production, reveal where bottlenecks and inefficiencies lie, and discuss new technologies that are leading to cost-effective HD production that delivers the highest quality results. Adi Kishore, senior analyst, Media & Entertainment Strategies at the Yankee Group, will moderate the session, and the panelists will include:

    --  Billy Baldwin - president, PostWorks New York;

    --  Andy King - head of Capital Development, BBC Resources;

    --  Roger Ogden - senior vice president, Gannett Television, and
        president and general manager of KUSA-TV, Denver; and,

    --  Gavin Schutz - executive vice president and chief technology
        officer, Ascent Media Group.

    The Download on Digital Rights Management

With technology innovations expanding and instantaneous access to films, television shows, and broadcast programming becoming a worldwide capability, Rockwell will explore concerns about digital rights management (DRM) for those developing and distributing the content. More specifically, Rockwell plans to illuminate a range of intellectual property challenges and opportunities that exist within the content creation landscape and generate discussion about proposed solutions.

Following Rockwell's presentation, a panel of representatives will address the progress the industry has made toward the secure creation, management, distribution, and tracking of digital content, as well as the technological and cost barriers to identifying and implementing solutions. Bill Rosenblatt, president, GiantSteps Media Technology Strategies, will moderate the session, and the panelists will include:

    --  Christopher Cookson - president, Warner Bros. Technical
        Operations Inc., and chief technology officer, Warner Bros.;

    --  Brad Hunt - senior vice president and chief technology
        officer, Motion Picture Association of America; and,

    --  Martha Nalebuff - director of policy and strategy, Microsoft
        Media/Entertainment Technology & Convergence Group.

    Keynote Logistics and Registration

"The Download on Digital Rights Management" will take place Monday, April 18, 2005, from 3:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Room S221. "Look Before You Leap: The Dollars and Sense of Transitioning to HD" will take place Tuesday, April 19, 2005, from 3:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Room S222. For more information about registering to attend either keynote event, please visit: www.nabshow.com.

About Avid Technology, Inc.

Avid Technology, Inc. is the world leader in digital nonlinear media creation, management, and distribution solutions, enabling film, video, audio, animation, games and broadcast professionals to work more efficiently, productively, and creatively. For more information about the company's Oscar^®, Grammy^®, and Emmy^® award-winning products and services, please visit: www.avid.com.

^© 2005 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Avid, Digidesign, Film Composer, Make, Manage and Move Media, and Pro Tools are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Avid received an Oscar statuette representing the 1998 Scientific and Technical Award for the concept, design, and engineering of the Avid Film Composer^® system for motion picture editing. Digidesign, Avid's audio division, received an Oscar statuette representing the 2003 Scientific and Technical Award for the design, development, and implementation of its Pro Tools^® digital audio workstation. Oscar is a trademark and service mark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Emmy is a registered trademark of ATAS/NATAS. Grammy is a trademark of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Inc. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Avid Technology
Carter Holland, 978-640-3172
carter_holland@avid.com
or
Edelman
Debra Masters, 202-326-1821
debra.masters@edelman.com

SOURCE: Avid Technology