Alliance Atlantis Announces Second Window U.S. Sale Of CSI To TNN.

Business Editors

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 12, 2001

ALLIANCE ATLANTIS COMMUNICATIONS INC. (Nasdaq:AACB)(TSE:AAC.A.)(TSE:AAC.B.) today announced that TNN - The National Network, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc., has aquired certain second window US broadcast rights for the hit prime time drama series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

ALLIANCE ATLANTIS and CBS 

Productions are co-producers of CSI and share the world wide revenues to this very sucessful television series on a 50/50 basis, after certain third party profit participations.

Judson Martin, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of ALLIANCE ATLANTIS commented that "The TNN agreement is believed to be the highest price per episode ever paid for the US second window use, by a basic cable broadcaster. The combination of this TNN transaction and the success that CSI has experienced with first window sales - to CBS in the US, in Canada to CTV, and to many other broadcasters around the world is an outstanding achievement for a series in its first year of production."

The primary components of the TNN agreement are as follows:

Commencing September 2002, TNN has the right to air one episode per week, not in prime time. In addition, commencing in September 2004, TNN has acquired the US second window broadcast rights for all episodes of CSI produced for broadcast at anytime - except weekends and not against the network timeslot. The licence fee for these second window rights is expected to be in excess of US$1.6 million per episode. ALLIANCE ATLANTIS and CBS Productions have retained the right to sell US weekend syndication broadcast rights for the period commencing September 2004 and ending September 2006.

Michael MacMillan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ALLIANCE ATLANTIS stated "Our involvement with CSI is a result of a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship with our friends at CBS and CBS Productions. For many years we have built a reputation as a first class producer of television movies and mini series for CBS and the other US networks. CSI is ALLIANCE ATLANTIS' first US network series hit and we are very proud of our involvement. The efforts of all persons involved have resulted in the break out prime drama hit of the year as CSI continues to hold onto the third highest spot in the US television ratings."

ALLIANCE ATLANTIS COMMUNICATIONS INC. is a leading broadcaster, creator and distributor of filmed entertainment with significant ownership interests in eight Canadian specialty television networks. The Company's principal business activities are conducted through three operating groups: Broadcast, Motion Pictures and Television. Headquartered in Toronto, ALLIANCE ATLANTIS operates offices in Los Angeles, Montreal, Edmonton, London, Sydney, and Shannon. The Company's common shares trade on The Toronto Stock Exchange - trading symbols AAC.A, AAC.B and on NASDAQ - trading symbol AACB. The Company's website is www.allianceatlantis.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are market and general economic conditions and the risk factors detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.