Henson Regroups in the US

[Luke]

This is a small article from the Autumn issue of License Europe magazine (a trade magazine for the brand licensing industry) that came out today. It's accompanied by a large picture of the Muppet Babies. It's a cartoon one with all the characters dancing around Rowlf's piano.

Text reads :-

Following it's aquisition of the Jim Henson Company, the Henson family has begun it's reorganisation of the company. All the offices have suffered redundancies, most heavily in the UK where only the Creature Shop now remains. The moves reflect a desire to get back to the core of the Henson philosophy of having a small company devoted to making entertaining shows.

Licensing for all territories is now run by a team based in New York headed by Isabel Miller. Veronica Hart is director of domestic licensing and Donna Bruschi is director of international licensing. The Henson family needs the company to be lean while it reviews its strategy for the future and is expected to make announcements concerning its vision for the company soon.

 

[scarecroe]

Not being wise or anything, but is this the original text as it appears in the magazine, or has it been altered?

 

[Luke]

It's original text straight from the magazine. I only made an exception last time because i didn't think the original was available. It doesn't list an author for the article at all, and if anybody is interested i can scan the photo and put a link to it (no uploads here) but it looks like a common old one. Doesn't tell us anything new i know but at least they got a mention.

 

[scarecroe]

It's a good summary of stuff we've been getting tricklings of for months. It kinda brings a little hope that we'll be hearing better news other than layoffs sometime soon.

 

[Phillip]

Nice read Luke. Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

[sarah_yzma]

It's a good summary of stuff we've been getting tricklings of for months. It kinda brings a little hope that we'll be hearing better news other than layoffs sometime soon.

I got that slight hint, too...

*hopes*

 

[dwayne1115]

There might just be a light at the end of the long dark tunnle for the mu[[ets and JHC this is very good my hopes are very high

 

[frogboy4]

It sounds like they are softening a blow to come so people don't freak out later. It is a smart move. Sounds like they are only keeping what they need. As long as we keep seeing top projects and products, I'm happy.

 

[Luke]

There's something else i noticed hidden away in the magazine in a small section that talks about staff moving companies, it kinda links back to something from the 'Henson Slashes European Arm' article.

Text Reads :-

Matthew Web, formerly with Henson, has formed a new company with entertainer Richard Digance and radio presenter Mike Osman. Creative Results is described as an 'entertainment broker' and will exploit rights to matierial it owns and also take on third party properties. It has the rights to The Muppets for advertising and promotions outside the UK and is also in discussion with Capitol Films for the rights to the film adaptation of E.S Nesbit's novel Five Children and it, scheduled for release in 2004.

The Muppet part is very interesting although (and it's purely my speculation) the "outside the UK" part is strange. It could mean that Henson have retained control of the UK and USA being the two biggest markets and this guy gets Europe and places like that, but then they haven't made it clear in the article the rights don't include the USA either and Creative Results are UK based and all the other stuff they do has been just focused here. I think it might actually be "outside the US" instead.

There is kinda a historical parallel you can draw here. I think it's a bit similar to what Peter Orton did when he broke off from Henson Associates and formed Henson International Television back in 1989. With him he had the rights to distribute Henson in the UK/Europe and with Matthew Web it seems he will do the same type of thing but with advertising and promotion. I'd heard about the Muppets being involved in some new things in Europe soon so it looks like they'll be getting a push whether it includes the UK or not.

 

[dwayne1115]

humm im not sure on all this maybe the hensons thought when they boguht back the compny that they would start from scach wixh makes more sence if thats the case then all we really need at the moment it would seem would be the LA an New york locations now becaus they are staring over. i dont think that when they slased the uk offices that it was for good money just must be going thin and they need more money to expand. i would say in the next 5 to 10 years they will have theUK back under there control. thats just my guses and thats the way it seems by this artical so we sahll see what we shall see The Show Will go on