Tanner to lead CanWest’s new media group

The Alliance Atlantis interactive VP is set to head up a new digital team hand-picked from CanWest Broadcasting, the now defunct CanWest Interactive and Tanner's former employer.

As part of its continuing new media revamp, CanWest MediaWorks is in the process of creating a digital team to develop and launch conventional and specialty TV content from Alliance Atlantis, E! Canada and Global Television into the multi-platform world.

Laura Tanner, most recently VP of interactive at Alliance Atlantis Communications, will lead the new effort as the Toronto company’s SVP of digital media.

‘In her new position, Laura will work to bring together a newly combined team from Alliance Atlantis, CanWest Broadcasting and the former CanWest Interactive, to oversee the online and other multi-platform efforts for all the specialty channels, as well as E! and Global Television, including both entertainment and news,’ said Barbara Williams, SVP of programming and production, in an internal note to employees.

Tanner, who joined Alliance Atlantis four years ago, worked under Claude Galipeau, who was SVP of digital before his recent departure, which followed CanWest Global’s purchase of AA and its 13 specialty channels. She will report directly to Williams. Additional appointments to the new digital team will be announced in the coming weeks.

From Playback Daily