Thomson Multimedia Purchases Technicolor

Britain’s Carlton Communications said Monday that it had sold its film-processing arm Technicolor to Thomson Multimedia for $2.07 billion in a deal that also will see the two team up in an alliance.

Television group Carlton said it would take a 5.5% stake in France’s Thomson Multimedia, the world’s fourth-largest consumer electronics maker, and pocket $1.35 billion in cash in return for Technicolor, the pioneer of color film in thex 1920s.

As part of a wider alliance covering digital and interactive television, Carlton--which broadcasts Britain’s most popular TV channel, ITV--will invest $15 million in TAK, Thomson’s interactive TV joint venture with Microsoft.