Alliance Atlantis, CanWest, confirm sale talks

TORONTO – Alliance Atlantis confirmed today what had been speculated about in many reports throughout the holiday season – that it is in exclusive sale talks with CanWest Global Communications. Primarily a specialty service operator with 13 channels including Showcase, History Television, National Geographic Canada, BBC Kids, and Food Network Canada, among others, AA announced last month it was putting itself in play. However, according to sources, CanWest and Alliance Atlantis had been talking since the summer. Also key to the deal is the involvement of private equity firm Goldman Sachs, which CanWest apparently brought to the table to potentially purchase AA's...