Alliance Atlantis Communications has announced the details of a new executive development training program to be managed by the Banff Television Festival. aac will provide $1.8 million over six years to develop the Alliance Atlantis Banff Television Executive Program, which will include courses in leadership and management training aimed at senior executives in the Canadian broadcast, production and distribution industries.

The program includes advanced production, distribution, marketing, promotion, sales, regulatory, financial and legal components. The initiative will be developed with the Banff Centre for Management, the festival’s various boards and other industry leaders.

The project team includes Banff Television Foundation chair Trina McQueen, vice-chair Doug Barrett, board member Bev Oda, festival president Pat Ferns, Banff Centre for Management’s Larry Hulsmans, and Eric Birnberg, senior vp and general counsel at acc.

Jim Byrd, former vp, English television at cbc and a member of the Banff festival board, will be interim executive director of the training program and the first week-long course is scheduled for winter 2000. Byrd anticipates the program may eventually be exported internationally.