ENTERTAINMENT Disney buys Muppets characters, concluding long-standing quest

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kermit and Miss Piggy are joining Mickey and Minnie, capping a 14-year effort to bring the Muppets into the Walt Disney family.
The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday it will buy the "Muppets" characters, including Kermit, Miss Piggy and others, as well as the "Bear in the Big Blue House" franchise, from The Jim Henson Co.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The arrangement, which took about six months to negotiate, represents a coup for Disney chief executive Michael Eisner, who has been attacked in recent months as an entrenched, weak manager unable to lead the entertainment giant effectively.
"Michael Eisner's long-standing passion and respect for the Muppets gives me and my family even more confidence in Disney as a partner," said Brian Henson, who with his sister Lisa is co-chairman and co-chief executive of The Jim Henson Co.
The deal culminates a long pursuit of the Muppets by Disney, which nearly acquired the characters in 1990. The deal fell apart shortly after the death of company founder Jim Henson.
The company then was bought by German media company EM.TV, which sold it back to the Henson family last year.
The deal does not include the "Sesame Street" characters, such as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, who were sold earlier by EM.TV to the Sesame Workshop.