Harris Broadcast Does the Splits

NEW YORK – Harris Broadcast is no more. In name, anyway. And a bit more.

The company, just eight months after Charlie Vogt took the helm as CEO, announced at Madison Square Garden during its first annual media day that it has shed its old name and separated itself into two separate operational units – Imagine Communications and GatesAir.

Imagine Communications, adopting the brand of the video encoding and transcoding firm that Harris Broadcast bought in January, will focus on video and multimedia software and processing products for media, broadcast, MSO, and government and enterprise customers. It is headquartered in Dallas, with hubs in Denver, Toronto, Los Angeles, Tel Aviv, and Beijing.

GatesAir, meanwhile, will focus on over-the-air technology for broadcasters and other wireless media distribution partners.

Vogt, who will remain CEO of both companies, said he thought the move to create two operationally independent companies was necessary as both units blaze their own paths, believing the separation will help each side innovate faster.

Go to Multichannel.com for the full story.