Court Grants Sony Distribution Rights for 'Wheel of Fortune' and 'Jeopardy!'

A court in Los Angeles has determined that Sony will assume distribution responsibilities for the game shows 'Wheel of Fortune' and 'Jeopardy!' This effectively ends CBS's control over the shows' syndication.

Sony, which is responsible for the production of these classic programs, initiated legal action in October 2024. The company accused CBS of forging unauthorized licensing contracts, arguing that the deals lacked proper valuation and did not optimize advertising revenues.

Following accusations of contract breaches by CBS, Sony took over distribution duties in February. CBS, however, contested this move and managed to secure a temporary restraining order, allowing them to maintain distribution rights provisionally.

In his recent decision, Judge Kevin Brazile from the Superior Court clarified that Sony is entitled to manage the distribution and is not mandated to supply episodes to CBS anymore.

CBS Media Ventures has announced their intention to promptly challenge the ruling. The company, which oversees the programs originally designed by Merv Griffin and released in 1975, has emphasized that this decision is preliminary and not conclusive.

"This isn’t the final verdict," CBS Media Ventures stated, expressing confidence in their eventual success once all the evidence is presented. They mentioned that the court acknowledged the potential for significant harm to CBS and indicated plans to request the appellate court to halt the ruling during the appeal process.

Sony has yet to issue a public response regarding the decision when approached by CBS MoneyWatch.