-----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,
 L7aWrXt0YIhZCwYd35ltlt+YSS+jpcMhS1LqlXhtm1UgkhS2i3xna+P4bfa6Colq
 2J5JYJ16a/8oTnWqAcsPlg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001204124-03-000014.txt : 20030515
<SEC-HEADER>0001204124-03-000014.hdr.sgml : 20030515
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030515133558
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001204124-03-000014
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030513
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030515

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			REID CAROL L
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001204124

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-21174
		FILM NUMBER:		03703103

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O 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>X0101</schemaVersion>

<documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-13</periodOfReport>
<issuer><issuerCik>0000896841</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AVID TECHNOLOGY INC</issuerName>
<issuerTradingSymbol>AVID</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001204124</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>REID CAROL L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
<reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>VP &amp;amp; Corporate Controller</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>11.375</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>6275</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natu
reOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>27.75</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1275</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice><value>11.375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>11.375</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2000-05-09</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-11-09</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndi
rectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The options become exercisable in four equal installments commencing on the date listed in the &amp;quot;Date Exercisable&amp;quot; column. </footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Carol L. Reid</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-15</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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