| Former type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Global media company |
| Fate | Acquired by Boomerang Media |
| Successor | Classic Media |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Defunct | 2009 |
| Headquarters | London, England, United Kingdom |
| Products | Children and family television programming |
| Website | [1] |
Entertainment Rights Plc was a global media company. Its main role was in children and family television programming.[1] The group was established in 1989 as Sleepy Kids. In 1999 it became Entertainment Rights[2] and was focused on the creation and exploitation of major children's characters and brands. On 1 April 2009 Entertainment Rights was acquired by Boomerang Media (formed by the founders of subsidiary Classic Media) [3][4] and on 11 May 2009, it was announced that the subsidiaries and offices of Entertainment Rights would be absorbed under the name, Classic Media.[5][6]
Sleepy Kids PLC (a.k.a. The Sleepy Kids Co. Ltd) was set up in 1989, by Martin and Vivien Schrager-Powell to produce Potsworth & Co. (a children's animated series the pair created) in partnership with Hanna-Barbera, and within a few months the company was floated on the stock exchanges. Sleepy Kids later went on to help produce Dr. Zitbag's Transylvania Pet Shop [7] and Budgie the Little Helicopter.
Between 1998 and 1999 the company expanded at a rapid rate, with acquired Siriol Productions[8] and merged with The Richard Digance Card Co, Clipper Films Ltd, and Ridgeway Films Ltd in December 1998. During 1999 Boom Boom Ltd (the owners of Basil Brush), Carrington Productions International (owner of a library of children's animation films, from Ventureworld Films) and Dr. Zitbag's Transylvania Pet Shop were all brought as part of a long term plan to build a substantial business owning intellectual property rights.
The company was renamed to SKD Media just after these take overs but only lasted a year when the company was again renamed to Entertainment Rights.[9]
The company went on to expand by acquiring rights to other studios such as Woodland Animations, Varga London, Link Entertainment, Hibbert Ralph Entertainment, Broadway Video, Golden Books Entertainment, Little Entertainment Co and the Maddocks Animation library in 2001. In 2004 they acquired Tell-Tale Productions along with most of the rights to the Filmation library from Hallmark Entertainment (who previously acquired them from Loreal). At the end of 2004, it employed on average 95 people. The company reported on June 30, 2005, that its turnover was £12.4 million. The company has also tried to take over Chorion but the offer was rejected.[10][11]
In 2005 a management buyout took place for Siriol Productions and was renamed Calon. The deal include all current project and some of the back catalogue, but most of the rights of previous made programmes and continued to beheld by Entertainment Rights.[12]
On 14 December 2006, Entertainment Rights announced it would acquire US-based rival Classic Media for $210 million (£106.9 million). The deal was completed on 11 January 2007. Before the acquisition of Classic Media by Entertainment Rights was completed, both companies announced distribution and production agreements with Genius Products, LLC.[13]
In December 2008 Deborah Dugan (former president of Disney Publishing Worldwide) as the appointed Chief Executive Officer, which was part of a board or management changes to help sort out cash flow issues and allow the company to operate on a more stable footing.[14] Unfortunately by January 2009 the company has cut a third of its staff ands market value collapse from £267m in March 2007 to just £5.5m.[15] Three companies did enquire about buying the firm, This increase to six companies[16] by start of February when the company was fined £245,000 by Financial Services Authority for failing to inform shareholds of a potential $14 million earnings hit in a timely manner.[17]
This resulted in the company going in to Administration in February[18] Within two months in April 2009 Boomerang Media acquired all Entertainment Rights subsidiaries - ER, Big Idea and Classic Media, which finally sorted out all outstanding issues around the company.[19] Boomerang Media was created by the same people who owned Classic Media until it was sold to Entertainment Rights in 2006.
Tell-Tale Productions was started in 1994 by Iain Lauchlan and Will Brenton as a "writing vehicle" for their own needs, but changed when pair created and started production of The Tweenies in 1999. The company expanded to employ over 60 people. On 13 September 2004 it become a wholly owned subsidiary of Entertainment Rights at a cost of £3.1m.[20][21]