Entertainment Rights Share Discussion Threads

[rich2006] 28/1/2009 09:56

if there is a bid it is either very low (below current share price price) or it is not expected to go through.
As share price has fallen

[scrapman] 27/1/2009 06:36

any more comments on the bid , viku mentiones above ?

[viku111] 26/1/2009 10:04

guys - from the artical above:-

Article from:
On-Line Daily Telegraph
By Amanda Andrews
Last Updated: 9:53PM GMT 24 Jan 2009

"Spectrum delivers Rupert bid
Spectrum Equity, the third-largest shareholder in Entertainment Rights, the troubled owner of Postman Pat and Rupert the Bear, is understood to have made an offer for the company.

Does anyone know what price has the offer been made at???

[hotips] 25/1/2009 23:32

rich2006 - It's not the company that's at fault, it's the disgusting behaviour of the directors, led by that incompetent, vain fool Bransgrove, and it's he and his fellow idiot directors (exec and non-exec) who should take the blame and pay the FSA fine, not the company, which is innocent.

If you take out the directors, there is still a pretty solid library of rights, but Brangsrove et al have run OUR company into the ground through their own stupidity. And I just love the way the FD - Elizabeth Gains - ran for cover before the solids hit the fan. She must be very much to blame for this mess.

Bransgrove, Heap, non-execs Julian Paul and Irvin Fishman, Nick Phillips (that five minute wonder who got a years' pay for five minutes work), Jane Smith and that prize fool Craig Hemmings (son of clever Tervor), should be hanging their heads in shame at the very least.

And let's not forget Mike Heap, who probably thinks he's escaped all this. but is the total cause of the demise of our company, with his ignorance and total stupidity, which was unchecked by Bransgrove becasue he was too scared to stand up to his own handpicked employee.

[rich2006] 25/1/2009 22:48

Sad really that it has come to this.
A decent company a few years ago and now look at it.
failure to disclose material information and a hit of £245k
nothing like being kicked while you're down eh!

[hotips] 25/1/2009 15:01

Article from:
On-Line Daily Telegraph
By Amanda Andrews
Last Updated: 9:53PM GMT 24 Jan 2009

"Spectrum delivers Rupert bid
Spectrum Equity, the third-largest shareholder in Entertainment Rights, the troubled owner of Postman Pat and Rupert the Bear, is understood to have made an offer for the company.


Spectrum bids for Rupert the Bear owner Entertainment Rights
The company, which was last week fined £245,000 by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) for breaching rules on transparency, is understood to have had six offers from groups wanting all or parts of the intellectual property company.

Spectrum Equity is thought to have teamed up with Eric Ellenbogen, the co-founder of Classic Media, the company behind Lassie and The Lone Ranger, which was acquired by Entertainment Rights in 2007 for £107m. Spectrum, which owns a 9.12pc stake in Entertainment Rights, was one of Classic Media's major shareholders prior to the acquisition by Entertainment Rights.

Others believed to have made approaches include Apax-owned Hit Entertainment, Saban Capital, Cookie Jar Entertainment and TV Loonland. According to sources, one of the interested players has offered to leave the company listed and inject cash into it.

Shareholders in the company are understood to want an imminent resolution. There has been scepticism in recent weeks about whether a buyer will be found for the company, which has issued profit warnings and recently had to lose a third of its staff. Entertainment Rights' market capitalisation has collapsed from £267m in March 2007 to £3.67m.

If it proves too difficult to find a buyer, the group's best hope to cut its £125m debt mountain may be through a mooted rescue placing. Entertainment Rights' main lender, HBOS, recently hired the restructuring firm, Deloitte, amid mounting concerns about the company's declining value and high debt levels. The board is being advised by Close Brothers.

Entertainment Rights recently secured £13m in additional funding from HBOS to keep cash flowing until the end of February. It is now working to secure "new, longer-term, funding arrangements to support the group past 28 February".

[hotips] 25/1/2009 15:00

Article from:
On-Line Daily Telegraph
By Amanda Andrews
Last Updated: 9:53PM GMT 24 Jan 2009

"Spectrum delivers Rupert bid
Spectrum Equity, the third-largest shareholder in Entertainment Rights, the troubled owner of Postman Pat and Rupert the Bear, is understood to have made an offer for the company.


Spectrum bids for Rupert the Bear owner Entertainment Rights
The company, which was last week fined £245,000 by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) for breaching rules on transparency, is understood to have had six offers from groups wanting all or parts of the intellectual property company.

Spectrum Equity is thought to have teamed up with Eric Ellenbogen, the co-founder of Classic Media, the company behind Lassie and The Lone Ranger, which was acquired by Entertainment Rights in 2007 for £107m. Spectrum, which owns a 9.12pc stake in Entertainment Rights, was one of Classic Media's major shareholders prior to the acquisition by Entertainment Rights.

Others believed to have made approaches include Apax-owned Hit Entertainment, Saban Capital, Cookie Jar Entertainment and TV Loonland. According to sources, one of the interested players has offered to leave the company listed and inject cash into it.

Shareholders in the company are understood to want an imminent resolution. There has been scepticism in recent weeks about whether a buyer will be found for the company, which has issued profit warnings and recently had to lose a third of its staff. Entertainment Rights' market capitalisation has collapsed from £267m in March 2007 to £3.67m.

If it proves too difficult to find a buyer, the group's best hope to cut its £125m debt mountain may be through a mooted rescue placing. Entertainment Rights' main lender, HBOS, recently hired the restructuring firm, Deloitte, amid mounting concerns about the company's declining value and high debt levels. The board is being advised by Close Brothers.

Entertainment Rights recently secured £13m in additional funding from HBOS to keep cash flowing until the end of February. It is now working to secure "new, longer-term, funding arrangements to support the group past 28 February".

[powwow] 24/1/2009 14:39

Cheers guys


hottips, I would not need their money, its something I have thought about for a long time, just need to investigate how ERT fit into it, if for example I want to use postman pat merchandise.

Its something they've never done, something different. I'm just looking at this as to what do they get out of it if I set up a business.

If its something plausible I'd have a good mind doing a business plan, talking to HSBC who gave them 13 million and seeing if they like it that much, to allow vote of no confidence and move on to a new strategy.

But then again that's not what I want, I'd rather do a deal, have my own company and do my own thing and pay for the rights based on what I want to do.

toptrumps, I'll think about it.

[toptrump] 23/1/2009 18:56

Considering the share price at present, and what I paid for mine (9.2p) I think I may have a cause for compensation!

[toptrump] 23/1/2009 17:06

Powwow:
Any new idea you should either make a legal document so if they did steal it you would have back up (but I would take some legal advice on that - i'm no solicitor). Or patent it possibly - depending on what the idea is.

I know from a personal point of view that media co. are always looking for ideas and are happy for you to submit suggestions.

Contact their PR dept. and ask for a meeting.

What's the idea!?

Hotips:
I bought in during this 78 day window, just after the Postman Pat news in Asia which made the share price jump from 3 - 9p. What do you think I should do?

[hotips] 23/1/2009 17:03

MY GOD......, have you read the news regarding the £245,000 fine by the FSA?????

So the company want to make this an exceptional item to their expendeture - oh yes? How about the Directors pay this fine since it way they who witheld information from the market? How come any of them are still on the board? This must surely be the final black mark against Bransgrove who should be punished for this terrible situation. How come he's still on the board - and Hemmings???

I feel very strongly that the shareholders should force the board to pay this fine personally (no bonuses this year either), otherwise, seek legeal redress for their misdomina. No wonder Nick Phillips left so suddenly, and Elizabeth Gains (FD) dissapeared to Australia! They should jointly and severally be held responsible for this appauling misuse of their position and pay the fine between themselves, not out of OUR shareholder money - of which there is none, thanks to them.

What an absoloute shower. Were the advisers in on this too?

[powwow] 23/1/2009 16:31

I have an idea and starting to think, how can I present it to the company as a new revenue stream , thus allowing my business ( newly setup ) could exploit this new opportunity.

I still have research to do, but think it could work and earn new revenue.

My only concern at this stage is how do you provide/present to management without them saying NO and taking the idea from you.. OK an NDA is one option, any others?

They sure need some help, or better still why don't we all chip in and buy them.

How do their rights actually function and what do they actually control? e.g if we wanted to do something with the characters, different format, is it ERT that would need to be approached for authorization? Or can you do what you need to do and pay royalties.?

[sirshagalot] 23/1/2009 15:33

we could do with this guy on the managment

[toptrump] 21/1/2009 13:48

End of the month nearing with no concrete news - all speculation.
Bansgrove to step down shortly - I'm sure he'll want his share sorted prior to this!

[leetholdings] 17/1/2009 23:47

I still think Trevor H will take this one out. I seem to remember years ago he took out a Scottish disk drive manufacturer (can't remember the name)that had a very low share price for years. Only live 2 miles from Trevor H but not seen him for a while, maybe he's busy counting his money and eyeing up Basil Brush!!!

[hotips] 12/1/2009 11:13

Hear what you're saying TT. But I think any deal is dependent on the bank being happy because they see a future going forward, more so than Brangsgove et al being satisfied with a deal. They had their chance to be acquired at a sensible price before, but let that idiot Heap blow it, (Chorion etc), so I rather think that with the level of debt it's the bank who is now pulling the strings on this one, assisted by the new board who don't have such a personal financial exposure. I'm just staggered that Bransgrove and Hemmings allowed this company to slide to such an extent when they have so much at stake, both financially and in terms of their reputations. If the banks can see a way forward, then I think the upside for the share price could be significant.

[toptrump] 11/1/2009 20:26

Hear, hear but with such a high stake in the co. he will have an input, unless a takeover bid is uccesful.

But as you can imagine it would have to be a half decent bid as most of us shareholders, and a lot more of the majority shareholders bought in at much higher prices. Yes people are looking for bargains in this climate...but a lot of people are losing money left, right and centre and don't want to throw away anymore.

I can see a big individual, institution or co. investing a large amount of cash in the co. for an even bigger stake. At present I believe most of us would be happy with this if it meant that we could keep our investment and hope for better in the forthcoming few years. I believe they owe us this much.

TT

[hotips] 11/1/2009 16:22

46maxon - I'd not be too upset by this piece. They're only reporting on what is already known and digested. Yes, things are not looking good - but the bank would have pulled the plug weeks ago if there were no salvation prospects in sight. At least now there are enough people focusing on getting through this. Just why it was allowed to get into such a mess is another matter. Bransgrove has a lot to answer for and his departure cannot come soon enough. You'd think he'd be focusing on ER and getting it out of the poo, but oh no, there he was on the telly last week, sopouting about his beloved British cricket.

[46maxon] 11/1/2009 14:09

Todays Sunday Telegraph looks bleak for this co.