* Alliance Atlantis Communications has announced three promotions within its Broadcast Group.

Heading the list, John Gill becomes SVP programming for factual and BBC Channels. Gill, who oversaw the launches of digitals BBC Canada and BBC Kids, takes responsibility for History Television and National Geographic Channel as well. Before joining AAC in February 2001, Gill was the director of network scheduling at TVOntario.

Cindy Witte is also expanding her responsibilities, moving from VP of programming for History to VP of original production for factual and BBC Channels. Witten will oversee all production and coproduction for History, National Geographic, BBC Canada and BBC Kids.

In addition, the Broadcast Group has created the new position of VP of programming acquisitions for factual and BBC Channels, which will be taken on by current director of programming for BBC Canada and BBC Kids, Jody Read. Read will oversee all acquisitions for History, National Geographic, BBC Canada and BBC Kids.

* Producer Meredith Caplan has been appointed head of dramatic, children’s and reality programming at Toronto prodco Associated Producers. Best known as a doc house, AP hired Caplan in October 2001 to launch the non-documentary unit of the company.

* George Lawton has been promoted to chief financial officer at Mainframe Entertainment in Vancouver. Lawton joined the company as corporate controller in 2000.

* Steve Scarrow has been appointed promotion director at Citytv Vancouver. Previously, he was director of marketing at Corus Radio stations CKNW, Rock 101 and others.