ERT Enter Rights.

RNS Number:3597Z
Entertainment Rights PLC
03 June 2004



                            Entertainment Rights Plc

                             Annual General Meeting

At the Company's AGM this morning, Rod Bransgrove, Non-Executive Chairman of
Entertainment Rights plc, will make the following statement:

"2003 was a year of considerable achievement with your company delivering on the
strategy of developing the owned portfolio of properties alongside acquiring and
exploiting third party brands.

"We met market expectations in delivering a fifth consecutive year of record
results with turnover increasing 22% to #29.5 million and underlying PBT
increasing 85% to #1.6 million.

"The higher margin wholly owned properties performed well during the year.

"Basil Brush(R) saw revenue growth of 130%. In the UK the BBC commissioned a
further 26 episodes as Basil achieved a 42% audience share. Research now places
Basil as the number one character with boys aged between 7 and 10. Basil has now
been sold to more than 50 countries, including Germany where the series will air
on ZDF and the Disney Channel.

"2003 was a strong year for Postman Pat(R). In the UK we started production of a
brand new series of Postman Pat(R) for the BBC, we released the first new video
and DVD in November 2003 and the first new episodes are due to air on the BBC
this autumn. We enjoyed considerable retail success with revenue growth for
Postman Pat(R) reaching 35%, a very credible performance in a year when the new
series was not yet on UK TV. Internationally, the brand started its global roll
out in Australia and Scandinavia.

"We also made significant progress with Little Red TractorTM, a new brand,
culminating in the launch of the first series on the BBC in January 2004. We are
further developing this brand through an exciting product line-up and the
forthcoming release of Videos and DVDs. Little Red TractorTM has already been
sold to 120 countries and overall enjoyed revenue growth of 166% in 2003.

"The success story with third party brands also continued. The Company benefits
from valuable cash flow secured at low financial risk. Highlights in 2003
included the acquisition from Mattel of the rights to distribute the third
BarbieTM feature film, BarbieTM of Swan Lake, outside of the USA and the award
of the TV and home entertainment rights for Transformers Energon and Duel
Masters outside the USA by Hasbro.

"Since the end of 2003 I am pleased to report that your Company has made further
significant strides. On 25 March 2004 we announced a transforming deal to
acquire Filmation, a catalogue of 500 hours of classic animated programming from
Hallmark including the rights in perpetuity to well-known global properties
including He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, She-Ra, Fat Albert, Zorro and
the Lone Ranger. Further I am delighted to have been able to report the
successful acquisition by your Company of the international television and video
rights to the fourth BarbieTM feature film, BarbieTM as the Princess and the
Pauper.

"The acquisition of Filmation provides your Company with a valuable presence in
the US market as well as increasing the library to more than 1,700 hours of
quality programming, firmly establishing Entertainment Rights as the number two
independent children's and family intellectual property company in the UK.

"This acquisition was enthusiastically backed by the Stock Market and I would
like to thank existing shareholders for their support and take this opportunity
to welcome the new shareholders. Filmation includes rights to over 30 characters
and brands and offers excellent opportunities for reinvigoration and
commercialisation on a global scale. Your CEO, Mike Heap and his team have
recently returned from the USA where they have been progressing our plans for
Filmation, we are convinced now more than ever that this is a great deal for
Entertainment Rights.

"In addition, we have continued efforts to maximise the value of the existing
portfolio. Since the end of 2003 we have announced a plethora of international
distribution deals for the wholly owned and third party properties as well as
the commissioning of a second series of Little Red TractorTM by the BBC.

"Last week we announced that we have successfully extended the Basil Brush(R)
franchise into publishing with the launch of the Basil Brush(R) comic, which
shipped 100,000 copies of its first issue.

"I am delighted to draw your attention to this morning's announcement of a raft
of new international licensing deals including the sale to Rai Sat, a leading
broadcaster in Italy, of broadcast rights to the all-new series of Postman Pat(R)
as well as numerous new deals for Duel Masters across the globe.

"In just five years your CEO Mike Heap and his team have transformed your
Company into a global player in the intellectual property market and I would
like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff for their efforts in
effecting this transformation. Filmation gives your Company the platform to
accelerate faster and to continue to build a strong and sustainable business
that consistently delivers value to the shareholders. I look forward to the
future with confidence."

                                      Ends

For further information contact: -

Entertainment Rights   Mike Heap, Chief Executive Officer        0208 762 6200
                       Elizabeth Gaines, Finance Director
                       Julie King, Group PR Manager

Bell Pottinger
Corporate & Financial  Charles Reynolds                          0207 861 3232
                       Sarah Landgrebe

About Entertainment Rights

   *Entertainment Rights Plc ("ER") is one of the UK's leading specialist
    media groups focussed on the ownership of high quality children's and family
    programming, characters and brands.

   *ER owns the rights to many classic characters including Basil Brush(R),
    Postman Pat(R), Little Red Tractor, He Man and Masters of the Universe, Fat
    Albert, She Ra, Ghostbusters, Zorro and The Lone Ranger.

   *Since 1999, when ER owned rights to just 50 hours of programming, ER's
    library has grown to over 1,700 hours of high quality children's and family
    programming. This includes rights to global brands such as Mattel's
    BarbieTM, Scholastic's CliffordTM, Hasbro's Transformers, Casper the
    Friendly Ghost and Felix the Cat.

   *ER has grown rapidly. Annual revenues have grown from #1.8m in 1999 to
    #29.5m in 2003, the last reported financial year.

   *High resolution images are available for the media to view and download
    free of charge from http://www.vismedia.co.uk






                      This information is provided by RNS
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