Editing Alliance Atlantis (section)

==Formation and history==
Alliance Atlantis was formed in 1998 from the merger of two former production companies, [[Alliance Films|Alliance Communications]] (founded in 1984) and [[Atlantis Communications]] (founded in 1978).<ref>{{Cite web| title = Atlantis Films {{!}} Media Commons| access-date = 2019-01-29| url = https://mediacommons.library.utoronto.ca/fonds/atlantis-films}}</ref> As President and Board Director of the subsequent combined Alliance Atlantis, Lewis Rose was responsible for leading the teams which arranged the merger financing of $545 million and which achieved in excess of $20 million in savings and synergies from the combination of the two companies in the year following the merger. (The merger was also parodied on ''[[Made in Canada (TV series)|Made in Canada]]'', when that show's Pyramid Productions merged with a company called Prodigy.)  After the merger, the company laid off 15% of their staff (much of them from pre-merger Aliiance), and closed the former Atlantis sales office in Amsterdam.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Brendan |date=1998-11-03 |title=Merged and mowed |url=https://variety.com/1998/biz/news/merged-and-mowed-1117488024/ |access-date=2023-07-08 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> As part of the merger deal, [[Robert Lantos]], founder of Alliance, signed a deal for film and TV production with Alliance Atlantis through his own firm, Serendipity Point Films.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carver |first=Benedict |date=1998-07-21 |title=Lantos dives head on into pic producing role |url=https://variety.com/1998/biz/news/lantos-dives-head-on-into-pic-producing-role-1117478636/ |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Carver |first=Benedict |date=1998-11-23 |title=Lantos inks Alliance deal |url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/lantos-inks-alliance-deal-1117488780/ |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>

At the time of the merger, both companies had launched various Canadian specialty [[television]] services; in 1995, Alliance launched [[Showcase (Canadian TV channel)|Showcase Television]] while Atlantis launched [[Slice (TV channel)|Life Network]] (which has since been renamed "Slice"); in fall 1997 the companies launched [[History (Canadian TV channel)|History Television]] and [[HGTV (Canadian TV channel)|HGTV Canada]] respectively. Earlier that year, Alliance Atlantis teamed up with Hallmark Cards to create Crayola Kids Adventures, a series of three [[direct-to-video]] adaptations of well-known children's novels. Atlantis had also been a major investor in [[YTV (Canadian TV channel)|YTV]] in its first few years before selling out to [[Shaw Communications]] and later, [[Corus Entertainment]] from 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Brendan |date=1998-11-03 |title=Merged and mowed |url=https://variety.com/1998/biz/news/merged-and-mowed-1117488024/ |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1998, the company purchased 75% of [[Cineplex Odeon Films]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://playbackonline.ca/1998/09/18/23232-19980918/|title=Odeon operating independently|date=September 18, 1998|first=Andy|last=Hoffman|access-date=2019-08-06}}</ref> In 1999, German [[Kinowelt]] purchased an interest in Alliance Atlantis' UK distribution arm, which was soon renamed to [[Momentum Pictures]] in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Variety Staff |date=1999-08-02 |title=Kinowelt takes stake in Alliance Atlantis |url=https://variety.com/1999/biz/news/kinowelt-takes-stake-in-alliance-atlantis-1117744414/ |access-date=2023-07-08 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dawtrey |first=Adam |date=2000-05-10 |title=Momentum rolls with 'Brother,' 'Bullwinkle' |url=https://variety.com/2000/film/news/momentum-rolls-with-brother-bullwinkle-1117781480/ |access-date=2023-07-08 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> Also that year, the company secured the Canadian rights to distribute features by Destination Films.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Brendan |date=1999-10-07 |title=Destination, Alliance pact |url=https://variety.com/1999/film/news/destination-alliance-pact-1117756396/ |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> Also in 2000, it purchased the rights to ''[[CSI: Crime Scene Investigation]]'' from Disney's [[ABC Signature|Touchstone Television]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Adalian|first=Josef|date=2000-06-23|title=Touchstone seeking exit from Eye deal|url=https://variety.com/2000/tv/news/touchstone-seeking-exit-from-eye-deal-1117782992/|access-date=2021-08-06|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Schneider|first1=Michael|date=2000-08-09|title=Eye's maple-leaf alliance|url=https://variety.com/2000/tv/news/eye-s-maple-leaf-alliance-1117784817/|access-date=2021-08-06|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref> Another major deal in 2000 was a renewal of their distribution pact with [[Artisan Entertainment]], including Canadian distribution of Artisan material, and UK theatrical distribution of Artisan films via Momentum Pictures.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Dana |date=2000-12-15 |title=Artisan, Alliance reup Canuck output deal |url=https://variety.com/2000/film/news/artisan-alliance-reup-canuck-output-deal-1117790596/ |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>

The company expanded its business with its launch of its children's production label AAC Kids in 1999,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tillson |first=Tamsen |date=1999-09-15 |title=Alliance Atlantis starts kids' label |url=https://variety.com/1999/tv/news/alliance-atlantis-starts-kids-label-1117755702/ |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> and its nonfiction production label, AAC Fact in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alliance Atlantis launches AAC Fact |url=https://realscreen.com/2000/09/01/29839-20000901/ |access-date=2023-07-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Brendan |date=2001-02-13 |title=Salter buy peppers Alliance prod'n |url=https://variety.com/2001/tv/news/salter-buy-peppers-alliance-prod-n-1117793597/ |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> These labels were dissolved in 2003.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2003-04-25 |title=The suspence is killing us |language=en-CA |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/the-suspence-is-killing-us/article1013828/ |access-date=2023-07-10}}</ref>

In April 2000, AAC Kids signed a European co-financing and distribution deal with German studio [[TV-Loonland AG]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Brendan |date=2000-04-07 |title=Just kidding around |url=https://variety.com/2000/tv/news/just-kidding-around-2-1117780333/ |access-date=2023-11-23 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> The distribution deal was valued at $14 million.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TV Loonland, Alliance Add Joint Ventures |url=https://www.awn.com/news/tv-loonland-alliance-add-joint-ventures |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Animation World Network |language=en}}</ref>

In July 2000 three months before Alliance Atlantis launch AAC Fact, Alliance Atlantis entered the documentary & nonfiction programming by acquiring independent producer and distributor Great North Communications for C$6 million. The acquisition of Great North had given Alliance Atlantis their own documentary and nonfiction production division.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alliance Atlantis lands distrib Great North|url=https://variety.com/2000/tv/news/alliance-atlantis-lands-distrib-great-north-1117783734/|first=Tamsen|last=Tillson|website=Variety|date=July 2000}}</ref>

In 2001, the company purchased [[Salter Street Films]], which produced a number of television shows for both the Canadian and international market. However, soon after the acquisition, Salter Street was disbanded and its active projects were transferred to Alliance Atlantis' own television production/development division.

Citing lower profits, Alliance Atlantis later closed the majority of its production arm, aside from the highly profitable ''[[CSI: Crime Scene Investigation]]'' family of series, which it co-produces with [[CBS Television Studios]]. It briefly maintained Salter Street's long-running ''[[This Hour Has 22 Minutes]]'' before transferring the show to the [[DHX Media|Halifax Film Company]], made up of former Salter Street employees. Its primary business became its ownership of a number of Canadian specialty services, which, in addition to those listed above, later included [[Food Network (Canada)|Food Network]], [[FYI (Canadian TV channel)|Discovery Health]] (now FYI Canada), [[BBC Canada]], [[BBC Kids]] and more.

Throughout the years, the company had purchased assets of several bankrupt studios, including Norstar Entertainment, Telescene, Peace Arch, Cinemavault, Odeon Films and in 2005, had bought out the television library of [[Fireworks Entertainment|Fireworks Distributing Corporation]] from [[Canwest|CanWest Global Communications]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tillson |first=Tamsen |date=2005-10-04 |title=Fireworks blowout |url=https://variety.com/2005/scene/markets-festivals/fireworks-blowout-1117930169/ |access-date=2023-07-08 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2007, Alliance Atlantis was named one of [[Canada's Top 100 Employers]], as published in ''[[Maclean's]]'' magazine, the only broadcaster to be included on the list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eluta.ca/einfo?en=Alliance+Atlantis+Communications+Inc.&ri=2f022ee89988fba475b9be9c5b5ba72b&rk=f22c9f06e54a4c62433588e5dc71c9a3|title=Reasons for Selection, 2007 Canada's Top 100 Employers|url-status = dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120801143438/http://www.eluta.ca/einfo?en=Alliance+Atlantis+Communications+Inc.&ri=2f022ee89988fba475b9be9c5b5ba72b&rk=f22c9f06e54a4c62433588e5dc71c9a3|archive-date=2012-08-01}}</ref>