CBS Temporarily Regains ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and ‘Jeopardy’ Distribution Rights From Sony Pictures TV on Appeal

A state appeals court has temporarily sided with CBS in its battle with Sony Pictures TV over control of the lucrative distribution rights to “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy.”

A three-judge appellate panel reversed a lower court ruling from April 10 that allowed Sony Pictures to take over control of sales and distribution rights to the powerhouse syndicated game shows. CBS and Sony Pictures have shared rights to both shows ever since CBS acquired King World Productions in 2000.

Sony Pictures owns “Wheel” and “Jeopardy” outright through the company’s acquisition of Merv Griffin Entertainment in 1986. Merv Griffin, who created both shows, signed a perpetual distribution agreement with King World Productions in the mid-1980s when King World drove the relaunch of the game shows in first-run syndication. Sony controls the production of the shows while CBS handles sales and distribution of the episodes to the 150-plus TV stations that carry the shows.

“Jeopardy” and “Wheel” have been early evening mainstays on U.S. TV since the 1983 and 1984, respectively.

Sony Pictures has argued in court that CBS has breached the longstanding distribution agreement by taking actions around the shows that were beyond the scope of its rights. CBS has accused Sony of making a cash grab and trying to rewrite the terms of a deal that it doesn’t like.

A panel of judges from California’s second appellate district stayed the lower court’s preliminary injunction that allowed Sony to assume distribution and sales operations. The appellate ruling calls for Sony to file its appeal by April 28 and for CBS to reply by May 9.

The initial ruling gave Sony the right by preliminary injunction to stop delivering new episodes to CBS to distribute to station affilates. The appellate ruling puts a clamp on that, for now.

CBS and Sony Pictures declined to comment.

More to come