AnakinGonzo said:
Um...don't they already have the rights to use those clips? They're in the show already, right? Therefore they have the right to use them.
Not exactly.
When TV shows negotiate rights to clips, they negotiate them for the actual airing of the show.
Nowadays many shows also negotiate rights for DVD's and VHS but back in the early 80's the concept of home video was still fairly new and the concept of TV shows on DVD or VHS wasn't even on the table.
While some clips were probably worked out for home distribution (those companies with whom Henson had a working relationship) the odds of all the footage being cleared is pretty unlikely.
The whole TV show on DVD craze really caught the industry by surprise, so little planning was ever considered for securing the rights to a lot of shows which can get pretty expensive.
While certainly possible, it's most likely that this is a show that's going to have a hard time coming out.