Echo Bridge buys Alliance Atlantis catalogue

Distributor Echo Bridge has bought the Alliance Atlantis catalogue of programming from investment bank Goldman Sachs and will distribute it in all international markets except Canada.

The catalogue runs to 5,500 hours and includes DeGrassi: the Next Generation, Due South and Da Vinci’s Inquest. It does not include the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation franchise, which was distributed by Alliance Atlantis before its sale and break up. The crime series is distributed by CBS Paramount International Television.

Financial details of the deal, which is expected to close within three weeks, were not broken out. Echo Bridge secured credit from JP Morgan last year with a view to acquiring content and catalogues and boosting its worldwide distribution business. When the Alliance Atlantis deal closes it will have an 11,000 hour catalogue.

Echo Bridge CEO Michael Rosenblatt said: “By adding this impressive roster of programming to our existing stable of product, we will greatly diversify our catalogue and position the company as a leading worldwide content provider.”

The company will begin selling its new roster of shows at MIP TV with executive VP Daniel March heading up international sales.

Echo Bridge also announced it has picked up S & S Productions’ 26x30mins comedy Jeff Ltd, which airs on CTV and The Comedy Network in Canada, and will be shopping it in Cannes.