Paramount Global for sale latest - Hollywood Reporter: Judge Grants CBS Temporary Restraining Order Against Sony in ‘Jeopardy!’-‘Wheel of Fortune’ Suit

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

A judge has stepped in to block, at least for the moment, Sony’s efforts to take over distribution of syndicated game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune from CBS.

On Thursday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kevin C. Brazile granted CBS a temporary restraining order blocking Sony Pictures Television from assuming distribution of the two shows. Earlier this week, Sony — which produces Jeopardy! and Wheel — said it had taken on that role after claiming CBS had breached a long-standing contract to distribute to two shows. CBS then filed for the restraining order, seeking to keep the terms of the deal in place.

The judge upheld CBS’ request, meaning that for now, the company will continue its role as distributor of the two game shows — which includes delivering episodes to local stations and handling ad sales and marketing.

“We’re pleased the court issued a temporary restraining order against Sony’s unlawful actions,” said a spokesperson for CBS Media Ventures, the company’s syndication arm. “We will continue to seamlessly distribute Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! to our station clients like we have for over 40 years.”

For its part, Sony said in a statement that it “believes it has lawfully terminated the distribution agreements with CBS for the shows and accordingly assumed all global distribution functions. Today the court has instructed SPT to temporarily cease taking on the distribution of the shows until the Court can further hear from the parties on this issue in the near future. To be clear, the Court’s order has no bearing on, and is not indicative of, the eventual outcome of the ongoing litigation.”

Sony and CBS are suing one another over distribution of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, which are among the most popular (and lucrative) syndicated shows in the United States. Sony fired the first shot in October 2024, suing CBS for breach of contract and claiming CBS “has been egregiously undercutting the value and profitability of these shows in favor of its own self-interest,” as Sony put it at the time.

CBS filed a countersuit in November, alleging that Sony was trying to use the courts to get out of the contract between the companies and win distribution rights to Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune for free.