10:15 AM EST - Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. : reported that its first-quarter profit almost doubled to $41.2 million from a year-ago $21.5 million on growth in broadcast advertising and worldwide sales of the CSI television series. Earnings for the three months ended March 31 amounted to 98 cents a diluted share, compared with 49 cents per share a year earlier, the Toronto-based company reported Tuesday. In April, Alliance Atlantis shareholders approved a takeover by a corporation owned by CanWest MediaWorks Inc. (TSX:CWM.UN), valued at $53 cash per share. The company expects the deal to be completed in July or early August. Alliance Atlantis says its quarterly revenue grew 32 per cent to $358 million as advertising revenue increased by 16.1 per cent to $41.9 million. Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc.
shares AAC.B:CA are trading down two cents at $51.28.
