-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 VB1iKQfkG6goERSBTAjIYdhfH61Ii5bNX1u8AY01qOHz6EvSsE/fpK7KzDaOfNb/
 iWAi9YeQmT/GsSTGURo6bg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001203923-03-000017.txt : 20031218
<SEC-HEADER>0001203923-03-000017.hdr.sgml : 20031218
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031218145931
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001203923-03-000017
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031216
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031218

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SMITH CHARLES L
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001203923

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-21174
		FILM NUMBER:		031062207

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		AVID TECHNOLOGY INC
		STREET 2:		ONE PARK WEST
		CITY:			TEWKSBURY
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01876

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			AVID TECHNOLOGY INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000896841
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES [3861]
		IRS NUMBER:				042977748
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		METROPOLITAN TECHNOLOGY PARK
		STREET 2:		ONE PARK WEST
		CITY:			TEWKSBURY
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01876
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9786406789

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		METROPOLITAN TECHNOLOGY PARK
		STREET 2:		ONE PARK WEST
		CITY:			TEWKSBURY
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01876
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-16</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000896841</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AVID TECHNOLOGY INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AVID</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001203923</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SMITH CHARLES L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>7 PORTER ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ANDOVER</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>01810</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>VP of Worldwide Sales</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>11000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>14.50</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>11000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwn
ership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2916</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>9.96</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>13916</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3552</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>14.13</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>17468</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>14.50</value></conversionOrExercisePr
ice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>11000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2000-11-03</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-05-03</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>11000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8125</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnershi
p><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>9.96</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2916</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2002-02-28</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-08-30</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2916</value></un
derlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8750</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>14.13</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3552</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate>
<value>2002-09-06</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-03-06</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3552</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8239</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">12.5% of the option becomes exercisable on the date listed in the &quot;Date Exercisable&quot; column; the remaining 87.5% becomes exercisable in 42 equal monthly installments thereafter.</footnote><footnote id="F2">25% of the option becomes exercisable on the date listed in the &quot;Date Exercisable&quot; column; the remaining 75% becomes exercisable
 in three equal six month installments thereafter.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Charles L. Smith</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-18</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----