CanWest/Alliance Atlantis deal gets thumbs-up from Commission

GATINEAU – CanWest Global’s unusually structured deal to acquire the broadcasting assets of Alliance Atlantis was approved today by the CRTC. CanWest is buying the 13 specialty channels owned by Alliance Atlantis (BBC Canada, BBC Kids, Discovery Health, Fine Living, Food Network Canada, HGTV, History Television, Independent Film Channel Canada, National Geographic Channel, Showcase, Showcase Action, Showcase Diva, and Slice ) for about $1.4 billion. The deal also includes the acquisition of partial ownership in The Score, One: Body, Mind and Spirit, Historia and Series+. The acquisition is being financed through debt, $260 million from CanWest and $650 million from...