Toronto-based Corus Entertainment has expressed an interest in buying the Jim Henson Co. from German owner EM.TV. The television and radio broadcaster, which made international headlines last year when it paid $300m for Canadian animation studio Nelvana Ltd., says it is pursuing several acquisitions in order to boost its presence in production and distribution in family and children's entertainment.

Corus' assets include Canadian children's programming mainstays such as YTV, Teletoon and Treehouse. Corus will like face stiff competition for Henson from the likes of Walt Disney Co. and Viacom's Nickelodeon.