Publishers of Cottage Life sell a share to television and digital startup Blue Ant Media

Quarto Communications, the publishers of Cottage Life, explore, Canadian Home Workshop and Outdoor Canada, has sold 15% of the company to Blue Ant Media Inc, a new company recently launched by Michael MacMillan, the former executive chairman of Alliance Atlantis. Blue Ant has the option to increase its stake to 24.5% within a year. The value of the investment was not released.

According to a joint release,Al Zikovitz will continue as CEO of Quarto, and he says the initiative will help push its brands further into television and digital media.

“We want to better serve our audience and our advertisers by expanding our reach to cover the broadest possible range of our consumers’ interests and needs,” he says.

Blue Ant Media recently announced it had reached an agreement to purchase controlling interest in GlassBOX Television, subject to CRTC approval and has developed a range of digital and broadcast properties including BITE TV, AUX TV and the Travel & Escape Channel.

“I am thrilled that Blue Ant is partnering with Cottage Life and Quarto’s other great brands and to be a part of growing these franchises to a whole new level," said MacMillan. "Al Zikovitz had developed a great company, a loyal following and consumer brands that have tremendous appeal to a broad cross section of the population.”