Clyde D. Smith, Turner Broadcasting System
Senior Vice President BE, R&D, QA and Metrics

KEYNOTE

Biography

Clyde D. Smith is Senior Vice President of Broadcast Engineering, Research and Development, Quality Assurance and Metrics for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. In this role, he oversees strategic technology planning and the operational supervision of broadcast and production technology operations for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s Turner Entertainment Group, encompassing Network Operations and Turner Studios.

In this capacity, Smith is responsible for the strategic development and planning of new technology in addition to the operational transition of media from production to broadcast to air. Smith’s broad knowledge of operational and technical systems and hands-on experience developing processes for integrating operational facilities from the ground up, is vital to the Turner Entertainment Group’s continuing expansion. Smith’s responsibilities are paramount to the technical and operational design of, and migration into, a new 198,000 square foot, Network Operations facility, which was completed Fall 2003.

Smith oversaw the technical transition of on-air operations for 19 broadcast cable networks from the 1920’s historic mansion to the new state-of-the-art facility on the Atlanta Techwood Campus of Turner Entertainment Networks. The Network Operations unit provides wide-ranging 24-hour functional support for the Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. entertainment networks, which include TBS Superstation, WTBS-17, TNT east and west, Cartoon Network, Turner Classic Movies, Boomerang, Boomerang Brazil and Turner South, as well as nine networks in Latin America.

Having held key executive positions at Speer Worldwide Digital, Lockheed Space Operations, and Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., Smith has been at the forefront of significant technical and operational initiatives. As Supervisor of Communications Design and Development Engineering for Lockheed Space Operations Company at The Kennedy Space Center, Smith participated in the design team that implemented NASA’s improvements of space shuttle transportation systems, following the Challenger accident. While at Speer WorldWide Digital, Smith served as Senior Vice President and Chief Technical Officer, managing operations of an all digital facility and leading a powerful engineering team in the trial that led to the launch of ABC’s Soap Net, production of hundreds of live events and the revitalization of Staples Arena in Los Angeles. Smith initially joined Turner as Director of Advanced Technology for Network Operations where he successfully launched the first all-digital video server based, all-automated network, Cartoon Brazil; this design became the prototype for international feeds for automation conversion throughout the entertainment industry.

Smith held a key role in creating the technology that resulted in Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. being awarded a 2003 Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Technology and Engineering in the category of “Pioneering Efforts in the Development of Automated, Server-Based Closed Captioning Systems”. Smith also participated in a Team which developed the innovative Broadcast Inventory Manager Solution for Turner Broadcasting which was recognized by as a 2003 Laureate by The Computer World Honors program for it’s innovative use of I.T. Technology.

A fellow of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Smith is a frequent speaker and honored guest at meetings for SMPTE, NAB and SBE. He is a four time Governor, a former Standards Chairman, and Secretary/Treasurer of the SMPTE. He has been program chair for four SMPTE advance-imaging conferences and was awarded the SMPTE outstanding service award. He has often presented and published research and technology papers that he has authored or co-authored in industry magazines and at industry conferences including Storage Networking World, VidTrans, IBC, SMPTE, SPIE, UFVA and SBE.