TORONTO — Canadian broadcaster CanWest Global Communications on Tuesday unveiled the management team for its newly acquired Alliance Atlantis cable channels.
The team is led by Kathy Dore, president of the CanWest Broadcasting division, and will oversee a new broadcast entity that combines the Global Television network with 13 Alliance Atlantis cable channels that are valued at about CAN$1.4 billion ($1.35 billion).
CanWest Global and U.S. equity partner Goldman Sachs & Co. received final approval last week for the channels’ acquisition.
CanWest Global will hold a 35% equity investment in the Alliance Atlantis/Global Television entity and 66 2/3% of the voting shares. Goldman Sachs in turn will retain the balance of both equity and voting shares in the newly combined entity and retain an option to cash out in 2011.
Reporting to Dore will be Barbara Williams, executive vp content, who will continue to be responsible for all acquisition, production and scheduling for Canwest Global’s conventional and cable channels.
Steve Wyatt, senior vp news and information, will steer the newsrooms at Global Television and E!, CanWest Global’s second national TV network.
Christine McGinley, senior vp operations, will be responsible for 15 Global Television and E! broadcast TV stations countrywide.
On the administration side, Andrew Akman was named senior vp strategy and chief administrative officer; Charlotte Bell will handle government relations as senior vp regulatory affairs; and Michael French becomes CFO.
Errol Da-Re was named executive vp sales and Walter Levitt chief marketing officer.
The acquisition of the Alliance Atlantis channels also has opened the way for layoffs. John Gill, senior vp content at Alliance Atlantis, on Monday exited the company.
