The new home for the Jim Henson Company, creator of the Muppets, was in doubt last week after a preliminary agreement by parent company EM.TV to sell a 49.9% stake in the company to an investment group collapsed. The deal between the German media company and the investment group, headed by former Viacom executive Dean Valentine (News, Jan. 6), was called off by "mutual agreement," EM.TV said.
Valentine said he remains interested in acquiring Henson under different terms, but EM.TV is also believed to be entertaining offers from other companies, including Disney. Disney has had on and off talks about acquiring Henson for the last several years. EM.TV bought the company in 2000 for $680 million.
