Henson Article In Broadcast Magazine

[Luke]

Hi Guys

The current (and just about to go out of date) edition of 'Broadcast' - a trade magazine/newspaper for the UK Television Industry features a double page glossy feature on TV formats - what makes a good one, how you sustain it's success and how they develop. It focuses on shows like 'The Weakest Link' which have been UK made but also been popular in the states. Looking at childrens television they focused on the 'Jim Henson Company' and did a very small article on it's strategy including 'The Muppets'. It wasn't about the sale, more about how the brand has stayed fairly succesful over so many years and it's formats ....... this is all because a TV format sales show - MIPTV is coming up very soon.

In the article they interview Angus Fletcher, he's president of 'JHTE' - Jim Henson Television Europe, basically the UK side of the Henson Company and does pretty much the same job as Juliet Blake but based over here. He came up with 'The Hoobs' and is also Exec Producer on 'Bambaloo' and is one of the key creative writers and producers at Henson.

I can't reproduce the full article right now because the paper is at work and i couldn't get to photocopy it so i took some notes of the main points on 'post its' :-

-- He is credited as pretty much the person who has rejuvenated the Henson Company as a production house for non-Muppet stuff, particularly in Europe where Henson is strong because of Hoobs, Moppatop, Construction Site - as well as Muppets and Bear.

-- He says the Muppets have a 96% global recognition rate and thats why it's a brand with such longevity and this is also down to the group of characters being strong and working well together for so long.

-- He says Henson do not have much of an interest in resurecting any of the old shows or formats. I think the comment was that they want to move forward with new shows and ideas.

-- He says they do have plans for a new Muppet show but it is more linked to the companies long term future plans and thats what they are more focused on.

-- The article (not him) compares how the Muppets are right now and where it's going as similar to the 'Thomas The Tank' brand but where some things have gone out and come back - the Muppets have never really 'gone' always keeping a prescense with merchandising etc. It talks about how long the Muppets have been around (ie :- Jimmy Dean Show etc).

-- He says that the only thing really needed in a format is that it's a bloody good idea.

That's about as much as i can remember but it was short, also had a nice picture of Kermit & Fozzie playing with some computer equipment. It doesn't talk about the sale in any depth other than saying the Muppets are currently up for sale. I know it's not all that much anything new but interesting anyway.

 

[BlueFrackle]

Luke,

Thanks for posting!

Where can i get a copy?


Thanks

 

[Luke]

Warrick,

Try any of the really big WHSmith stores up central London, it's the edition with a Barbie sponsored cover. Trouble is, i'm not sure if it's the new one and it came out today, or whether it's last weeks and the new one comes out tommorow so you might have a problem getting it, not sure.

 

[BoyRaisin2]

"Me" thoughts

Originally posted by Luke
-- He is credited as pretty much the person who has rejuvenated the Henson Company as a production house for non-Muppet stuff, particularly in Europe where Henson is strong because of Hoobs, Moppatop, Construction Site - as well as Muppets and Bear.

-- He says Henson do not have much of an interest in resurecting any of the old shows or formats. I think the comment was that they want to move forward with new shows and ideas.

-- He says they do have plans for a new Muppet show but it is more linked to the companies long term future plans and thats what they are more focused on.

1. Hey Luke, are the three U.K. shows still in production? I hope they come to the States one day.

2. It's cool with me if Henson don't resurrect the old shows, just as long as 'The Muppets' are still active.

3. Speaking of THE Muppets, what do they mean there are 'plans' for a new Muppet show. Is this "fabulous, edgy, audacious" show, announced March 2002, IN production, or is the prolonged Henson sale effecting things? People wonder if Frank Oz and all them are still with Henson. Well, how can you tell? Except with the NBC movie and perhaps "Sesame Street" (which I don't watch, so I don't know), the classic Muppeteers don't really got much to do. We don't even know the plot and setting of the show. It's not as quote-unquote informative as when EM.TV announced it was making 26 new episodes of "The Muppet Show" in 2000, as weird as that sounded. But hopefully the show will come about this year, 'cause in the midst of all the adorable preschool shows, there's gotta be some family/adult/whatever you want to call it-oriented Muppet stuff in the Henson fold and the NBC movie was the "edgiest so to speak" MUPPET thing I've seen to date.

OK, I'm done.

 

[BoyRaisin2]

Re: "Me" thoughts

1. Hey Luke, are the three U.K. shows still in production? I hope they come to the States one day.

2. It's cool with me if Henson don't resurrect the old shows, just as long as 'The Muppets' are still active.

3. Speaking of THE Muppets, what do they mean there are 'plans' for a new Muppet show. Is this "fabulous, edgy, audacious" show, announced March 2002, IN production, or is the prolonged Henson sale effecting things? People wonder if Frank Oz and all them are still with Henson. Well, how can you tell? Except with the NBC movie and perhaps "Sesame Street" (which I don't watch, so I don't know), the classic Muppeteers don't really got much to do. We don't even know the plot and setting of the show. It's not as quote-unquote informative as when EM.TV announced it was making 26 new episodes of "The Muppet Show" in 2000, as weird as that sounded. But hopefully the show will come about this year, 'cause in the midst of all the adorable preschool shows, there's gotta be some family/adult/whatever you want to call it-oriented Muppet stuff in the Henson fold and the NBC movie was the "edgiest so to speak" MUPPET thing I've seen to date...except for that song.

OK, I'm done.

 

[Luke]

1. First two are not still in production. Hoobs is very succesful - i think it's the most succesful pre-school genre around at the moment so wouldn't suprise me if they do commision some more. 'Construction Site' is still in production. I would guess they have deals for some other new stuff too.

2. Agreed - though with loads of things coming back from the dead a Fraggle relaunch might have been nice although they probably couldn't afford to make it high quality or get the people from the original show so maybe better not to do it.

3. Don't know what they mean - they could just be deliberate vague because it's a UK article or there could be delays with it - i don't expect to see the show this year. It doesn't seem to be in production yet although we heard they have the green light (though if that stays green is another question). It is interesting that the plans are linked to the Muppets long term future - they obviously have some kind of strategy being worked on. I think the reason details have been sketchy as they've never been solid on what exactly they're doing themselves - first it was a TMS copy, then it's edgy and innovative, now it's a mix of the two. I have no idea. I am very sceptical on that EMTV announcement in 2000 - it might have been their intention then but i'd think the main reason they announced it so early was just pure publicity.