Why does Disney still allow Sesame Workshop to use the term "Muppet"?

[salemfan]

We know that the rights to the term "Muppet" were included in the sale of the Muppet characters from the Jim Henson Company to Disney in 2004. Three years earlier, the rights to the Sesame Street characters which had previously been co-owned by both Sesame Workshop (in those days it was called Children's Television Workshop) were sold entirely to Sesame Workshop, meaning that beginning in 2001, the Jim Henson Company no longer owned the rights to the Sesame Street characters. Newer Sesame Street material says "Muppets is a trademark of the Muppets Holding Company". (The Muppets Holding Company is a subsidiary of Disney.) Why does Disney still allow Sesame Workshop to use the term "Muppets"?

 

[mbmfrog]

I think it’s more of a universal term between the different Muppet productions. Since it did originated with Jim Henson I would think it is more in keeping in line with the unique ways of keeping the “Muppet family “ together in some sense.

 

[salemfan]

I think it’s more of a universal term between the different Muppet productions. Since it did originated with Jim Henson I would think it is more in keeping in line with the unique ways of keeping the “Muppet family “ together in some sense.

But the current generation of children who watch the current version of Sesame Street wouldn't necessarily know that it was once a co-production of Henson. And the people who were at the age for Sesame Street (and watched it) in the first few years that Disney owned the Muppets are now adults, and I don't know if they even know that Sesame Street and the Muppets used to be from Henson.

 

[minor muppetz]

I have seen productions that list a Muppet Studios copyright without saying that Muppet is a trademark (I feel these productions don’t even use the term in the credits). Almost makes it look as if Muppet Studios shares copyright with Sesame Workshop on the production (I know better, but would others?),

 

[salemfan]

I know Sesame Workshop is not required to use the term Muppet, but why does Sesame Workshop still call its puppet characters Muppets when Sesame Street is not affiliated with the current owner of the term Muppets?

 

[Spongybobchum]

I don't know. Sesame Workshop's website is also allowed to mention Disney Muppets' names, for example on their page for Eric Jacobson.