Cafe Productions has been thrown a lifeline by Canadian broadcaster Alliance Atlantis Communications, which has stepped in with a tentative agreement to stave off the independent's closure, writes Simon Ellery.
The respected independent documentary producer confirmed three weeks ago that it was on the brink of closure and had run into cash-flow problems (Broadcast, 8.9.00).

Toronto-based Alliance, which runs eight channels in Canada, has already appointed an unnamed team of accountants to examine Cafe's finances.

The two companies now have just two weeks to draw up a plan that satisfies creditors as an alternative to closure.

Cafe chief executive Andre Singer told Broadcast: 'We were going to close but Alliance decided that we were worth looking at more closely.' He said he hoped to secure a decision within two weeks.

Cafe, which has made 30 hours of programming this year, has put the majority of its 20 ongoing projects on hold.

Alliance Atlantis would not rule out other deals with UK producers. Earlier this year, it bought Canadian outfit Great North Communications.