Will ‘Jeopardy!’ & ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Go Off Air Over the CBS & Sony Dispute?

Two of America’s favorite game shows are at the center of a game of legal tug-of-war between CBS Media Ventures and Sony Pictures Television.

The latest is this: CBS has been granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) against Sony after the latter intended to take over distribution for Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune on over 200 markets beginning this Friday (February 7).

This is the newest in a string of developments that have unfolded since Sony first sued CBS in October. So what exactly is going on between these two media companies, and what impact, if any, will it have on airings of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune? Here’s a look at everything we know so far.

How did each of these companies get involved with the shows?

Sony has been the production company on Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune since 1994, when it purchased Merv Griffin Enterprises, the original production company on both shows. Meanwhile, CBS has owned the syndication rights for them since acquiring King World Productions, a syndication company, in 1999. Merv Griffin Enterprises and King World Productions had a distribution agreement in place since the ’80s that carried on with both acquisitions.

How did the lawsuit between Sony and CBS first begin?

Sony initiated its lawsuit against CBS in October 2024, arguing that CBS’s licensing agreements of the game shows were unsatisfactory, and thus a violation of their distribution contract. “CBS has been egregiously undercutting the value and profitability of these shows in favor of their own self-interest,” said Sony’s statement about the suit.

Sony also claimed CBS violated their contract by entering into licensing deals in Australia and New Zealand for longer than the agreed-upon limit of two years, keeping the commissions from the unauthorized deals. Sony also argued that Paramount’s (CBS’s parent company) dispute with Nielsen (which ended this week) impacted the availability of ratings in contract negotiations and that the marketing team was also affected by the numerous layoffs at the company.

CBS’s statement at the time countered that it and King World, which it acquired and thus gained the distribution rights to the two shows in 1999, have always been “thoughtful stewards” of their syndication deals, adding, “Sony’s claims are rooted in the fact that they simply don’t like the deal the parties agreed to decades ago.”

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What is the CBS countersuit for?

In November, CBS issued a countersuit, claiming Sony was merely attempting to use the courts to cancel the agreements after a failed attempt to buy the rights from CBS with a nine-figure offer, which CBS countered and Sony declined.

What did Sony do to justify the temporary restraining order?

Sony notified CBS on Monday that it would begin distributing episodes of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune directly to local networks beginning on Friday, claiming they had already sent out episodes through February 10. However, a Los Angeles court enjoined them from taking over further distribution at this time.

CBS responded to the decision by saying they were “pleased” with the ruling and promised, “We will continue to seamlessly distribute Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! to our station clients like we have for over 40 years.” In a statement, though, Sony insisted it possessed full ownership of both shows and noted that the court order wasn’t a ruling on the merits of the case, which they will continue to litigate.

What’s next for the case?

The judge in the TRO hearing, Judge Kevin C. Brazile, has ordered a status conference to take place on February 18.

Will airings of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune be affected by the dispute?

As of now, CBS will continue to distribute episodes of both shows without interruption, according to their statement, so it is not currently expected that any airings of either show will be affected by the litigation.

It is unclear whether things will change if and when Sony takes over distribution. On Reddit, some fans have offered their theories as to what changes might follow should Sony win the lawsuit. One speculated that it could result in the removal of the barrier to airing Wheel of Fortune before 7 p.m. ET in any U.S. market (a rule originally intended to keep it from interfering with the daytime version of the show). Another speculated that both shows might eventually find a home on streaming.