Postman Pat set for Japanese market

Postman Pat was today set to embark on one of his biggest delivery rounds yet after his owner announced plans to send him to Japan.

Entertainment Rights said it had signed a deal with Buena Vista International to air shows featuring Pat and the rest of Greendale’s residents on the Disney Channel in Japan.

The news comes less than a month after a similar agreement was clinched in the United States and sent shares in Entertainment Rights 5% higher.

Today’s deal gives Postman Pat access to the world’s second largest toy market and includes 80 15-minute episodes as well as four special programmes for cable and satellite.

The Japanese toy market is worth around $9.7bn (€8.1bn) a year, behind that of the US which is estimated at $33bn (€27.7bn).

Postman Pat is now watched by around a million viewers every day after signing more than 100 contracts across the world.

Entertainment Rights chief executive Mike Heap described the deal as a “landmark achievement” that confirmed the character’s global appeal.

He said: “Japan is a key territory for Entertainment Rights and this agreement opens up significant opportunities for the company in the world’s second largest toy market.”

In addition to Postman Pat, Entertainment Rights has a portfolio of children’s characters that includes He-Man, She-Ra, Basil Brush and The Tweenies.

Since 1999, when Entertainment owned rights to just 50 hours of programming, the company’s library has grown to more than 1,800 hours of children’s and family characters and brands.

Annual revenues have increased from £1.8m (€2.6m) in 1999 to £25.5m (€37.6m) in 2004.

Their shares on the FTSE were 1.5p higher at 31.75p today.