Sony Says It’s Taking Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune Syndication from CBS

Sony is ramping up its dispute with CBS over the syndicated sport exhibits Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune.

In a letter despatched to CBS on Monday, Sony Photos Tv says it would take over distribution of the 2 exhibits starting Feb. 10 — which might mark an finish to a greater than 40-year settlement between the 2 firms that has seen CBS’ syndication arm deal with distribution. Sony can be in search of to file an amended grievance in its October 2024 lawsuit towards CBS that alleges the latter has breached its contract in the US and entered into unauthorized syndication offers for Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune in different nations.

CBS countersued Sony in November, claiming Sony was utilizing the courts to get out of the 2 firms’ long-standing contract: “Sony is trying to acquire in courtroom what it couldn’t get on the bargaining desk: the rights to the Sequence totally free, by discovering any excuse it might muster,” the cross-complaint reads. With Sony’s motion to take over distribution, CBS now says it would file a brief restraining order to maintain the present distribution deal in place whereas the dueling lawsuits make their manner via the courts.

Sony’s Monday letter to CBS states partially, “Please be suggested that in mild of the failures of CBS Studios Inc. (‘CBS’) to dwell as much as its contractual obligations, Sony Photos Tv Inc., Califon Productions, Inc., and Jeopardy Productions, Inc (collectively, ‘Sony Photos’) have assumed international distribution features for Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! … together with, however not restricted to, content material supply, promoting gross sales, advertising and marketing, promotions, present integrations, affiliate relations, public relations, home and international licensing, and international format licensing.”

Sony says it delivered the episodes of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune scheduled to air this week to CBS on Jan. 27 however that it has taken over sending these to native stations that air the sport exhibits, starting with episodes set for the week of Feb. 10. The letter additionally asks CBS to show over paperwork associated to home and international licensing and advert gross sales.

CBS despatched a message to shoppers that air Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune on Monday that reads, “We’re conscious Sony has knowledgeable you that it has presupposed to assume the distribution features for Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!, and that it has terminated CBS’s distribution association. This communication is fake, inappropriate, and ineffective. Sony has no rights below the distribution agreements to terminate them, and CBS stays the distributor for the Sequence, however any communications from Sony on the contrary. Any rivalry by Sony that it has reclaimed the distribution rights is topic to ongoing judicial proceedings, and CBS shall be in search of quick aid from the suitable courts. All enterprise ought to proceed within the common course.”

In its amended grievance at Los Angeles Superior Courtroom, Sony provides new allegations that CBS licensed streaming rights it doesn’t personal to the 2 exhibits, then collected charges for these offers. It additionally expands a bit associated to CBS dad or mum Paramount International’s resolution to finish its contract with scores supplier Nielsen.

Feb. 3, 10:20 a.m. Up to date with CBS response to Sony.