CBS has lost its distribution rights to “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!”, With a Los Angeles court that rejected the network candidacy in a preliminary order that would have blocked Sony.
Sony, which produces the two iconic play shows, filed a complaint in October 2024, claiming that CBS signed unauthorized license agreements. Specifically, the entertainment company claimed that CBS graduated the shows on the lower rates in the market and could not maximize advertising revenue, among others alleged contracts violations (CBS News and CBS are owned by Paramount Global.)
After accusing CBS of breaching his contract, Sony assumed the distribution. In response, CBS sought and a containment order was granted, which allowed the network to retain distribution rights to programs.
In his sentence on Thursday, Supreme Court Judge Kevin Brazile stated that “Sony may begin to distribute the shows and do not need to deliver episodes to CBS”.
CBS Media Ventures said he would immediately appeal the court ruling on the distribution rights of the two programs, created by Merv Griffin and which debuted in 1975.
“This is just a preliminary sentence based on partial tests, not the result of the full case,” CBS Media Ventures said in a statement to CBS Moneywatch. “We are confident that once all the tests are heard at the trial, we will prevail according to the merits. In today’s judgment, the same court recognized the balance of damage councils in favor of the CBS, so we will ask the appeal court for a stay waiting for our appeal.”
Sony Pictures Television said in a statement that he is “satisfied with the judgment of today’s court, and we hope to distribute our programs, Jeopardy! And Wheel of Fortune, at the 200 seasons that have been licensed and had in this program in the United States, and the millions of fans that tune in with these games every week.”