files/pictures/picture-35.jpgPress Release from Classic Media
LONDON, UK (January 20, 2011)—Classic Media, a global media company with a portfolio of some of the world’s leading family entertainment brands, today announced that it has secured an ongoing commitment from premium children’s platform, CBeebies, for the UK’s favourite postie and popular pre-school series, Postman Pat, until 2015.
2011 marks the 30th Anniversary of Postman Pat and the series’ long-standing broadcast relationship with the BBC. With the new commitment, the BBC will re-license Postman Pat Series 3-6, as well as four Postman Pat television specials, “Magical Christmas,” “Clowns Around,” “Pirate Treasure” and “Greendale Rocket.” The partnership ensures Postman Pat’s presence across BBC1, BBC2, CBBC, CBeebies, BBC iPlayer and CBeebies radio, for a further five years through to October 2015. The show currently airs on CBeebies daily at 8:10 AM and also on the BBC2 at 10:05 AM.
Chloe van den Berg, Executive Vice President, International, Classic Media, commented: “We’re delighted to have secured further commitment from the BBC for Postman Pat. Having aired on the children’s platform for almost 30 years now, Pat is one of the best loved characters on the BBC and the quality children’s programming it represents. It’s fantastic to see the brand still resonating with today’s young audiences.”
Kay Benbow, Controller, the BBC, says: “We are delighted to continue our long relationship with Postman Pat and are very much looking forward to celebrating Pat’s very special birthday this year.”
Postman Pat is a Top 10 Licensed Pre-School toy property in the UK, with an exciting range of Consumer Products lead by Character Options as Master Toy Partner.
About Postman Pat
A pre-school favourite and the UK’s favourite postie, Postman Pat® and his black and white cat, Jess, have been delivering fun to audiences around the globe for 30 years. Now, Postman Pat is delivering more than ever in his brand new high-action series, Postman Pat Special Delivery Service (SDS), in which Pat has some serious wheels and his very own helicopter to help him deliver anything, anytime, anywhere. The series airs on CBeebies in the UK and on other networks in 80+ territories worldwide. Postman Pat is a Top 10 Licensed Pre-School toy property in the UK, with an exciting range of Consumer Products lead by Character Options as Master Toy Partner. Interact with Pat and Jess at
www.postmanpat.com .
About Classic Media
Classic Media, one of the world’s largest independent entertainment companies, is a leader in reinventing the classics of yesterday and creating the entertainment classics of tomorrow. The Company owns and manages a globally-recognized portfolio of well-known family and pop-culture entertainment brands, including Casper the Friendly Ghost, Where’s Waldo?, Lassie, Gold Key Comics, The Lone Ranger, and new global brands Tinga Tinga Tales and Guess with Jess. Big Idea Entertainment, a member of the Classic Media family, is the leading faith-based studio and producer of children’s programming, including the best-selling animated series, VeggieTales. More than 3,600 hours of Classic Media programming is distributed in more than 170 territories worldwide and showcased in multiple formats, including TV, film, home video, consumer products, publishing, digital, and music. Visit us at
www.classicmedia.tv .
About CBeebies
CBeebies is dedicated to delighting and surprising its young audience and it remains the UK's most watched and most loved channel for the under-sixes. Almost half of the target audience tune in each week (parents and carers with children aged 0-3 and four- to six-year-olds in digital homes) and nearly 90% say they like or love the channel with over half (53%) saying it is their favourite. Favourite shows include In the Night Garden, I Can Cook, Something Special and Waybuloo. CBeebies in-house production has just launched a new music programme – Zingzillas – that has brought together the crème de la crème of the pre-school industry and is delighting audiences throughout the country. The CBeebies website averaged just over 800k unique users last year and achieves one of the highest net promoter scores of all BBC websites (it holds the record for the highest recorded score of 83). CBeebies has just been crowned BAFTA’s Children’s Channel of the Year and is also Freesat Children’s Channel of the Year.
