CBS Gains ‘Jeopardy!' & ‘Wheel Of Fortune' Distribution Rights At Least Until Legal Battle With Sony Is Over
UPDATED, 2:35 PM: Sony and CBS spun the wheel one more time this month over who controls Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, and the still Shari Redstone-owned company hit the game show jackpot.
Solidifying what a three-judge panel from the Second Appellate District temporarily put in place last month, that same panel has now ruled that CBS will remain the sole distributor of the lucrative Jeopardy! and now Ryan Seacrest hosted Wheel.
More from Deadline
'Jeopardy!' & 'Wheel of Fortune' Legal Shocker: CBS Loses Out To Sony In Court Battle Over Rights To Distribute Game Shows
Wink Martindale Dies: Game Show Host Of 'Tic-Tac-Dough', 'Gambit' And 'High Rollers' Was 91
Paramount Offers Millions To Trump To End $20B '60 Minutes' Suit & Let Skydance Merger Go Through
'Pending disposition of this appeal, the trial court's order of April 10, 2025 finding that 'Sony can begin distributing the Shows and need not deliver episodes to CBS' is hereby stayed, including all matters embraced therein or affected thereby by the trial court's order,' ordered Appeal Court Judges Gonzalo Martinez, John Segal and Natalie Stone on Wednesday in a short ruling after reviewing arguments from both sides. You can read the ruling here.
The decision puts the shows in CBS' hands for the entire duration of the court battle between the network and Sony.
CBS had 'no comment' on yesterday's ruling. Sony did not reply to request from Deadline for comment on the order.
The once partnered companies have been in a breach-of-contract dispute since October 31 over CBS' more than 40-year-old distribution contract and claims by Sony Pictures TV of CBS licensing the blockbuster shows at below-market rates and engaging in 'self-dealing.'
PREVIOUSLY, APRIL 16 PM: This is why they call it Jeopardy!
Less than a week after Sony snagged back the distribution rights to the Ken Jennings-hosted game show and Wheel of Fortune, a California appeals court today handed those rights back to CBS, at least for now.
'The superior court's order of April 10, 2025 denying the preliminary injunction and allowing Respondents to begin 'distributing the shows and need not deliver episodes to CBS' is stayed pending further order of this court,' a three-judge panel from the Second Appellate District ordered Wednesday.
With the petition for writ of supersedeas filed by CBS on April 11, Sony now has until April 28 to respond, with the Shari Redstone-owned CBS giving its reply by May 9. All of that means those new deals and platforms that Sony was hoping for the beloved and money-making game shows are in legal purgatory for at least a month.
CBS had no further comment besides its petition and today's order. Sony did not respond to Deadline's request for comment Wednesday.
The once-chummy companies have been in a breach-of-contract dispute since October 31 over CBS' more than 40-year-old distribution contract and claims by Sony Pictures TV of CBS licensing the blockbuster shows at below-market rates and engaging in 'self-dealing.' After a judicial pingpong match, things went sideways for CBS when Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kevin Brazile last Thursday favored Sony over CBS Media Ventures' pitch to pause Sony taking over full distribution of Wheel and Jeopardy!
Agreements for the Merv Griffin shows have been place since 1982 and under the respective umbrellas of CBS and Sony since the late 1990s.
Which begs the question: What is hassle?
Best of Deadline
Everything We Know About Netflix's 'The Thursday Murder Club' So Far
2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery
2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Valerie Mahaffey death: Young Sheldon and Desperate Housewives star dies aged 71
Emmy-winning actor Valerie Mahaffey has died at age 71. The Young Sheldon and Desperate Housewives star, who had been diagnosed with cancer, died May 30, her husband Joseph Kell confirmed. 'I have lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its most endearing actresses. She will be missed,' Kell said in a statement, per Variety. Born in Indonesia, Mahaffey got her start on Broadway, appearing in six plays and musicals in the 1970s and 80s. She appeared in more than a dozen off-Broadway and regional productions as well, including Othello opposite Morgan Freeman and Romeo and Juliet with Tom Hulce. After establishing herself as a versatile stage actor, Mahaffey became in-demand among TV and film productions. Mahaffey's first TV break came on the daytime soap opera The Doctors, for which she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 1980. She would go on to win the 1992 supporting actress Emmy for her work on Northern Exposure. Mahaffey played Eve in the comedy-drama, which aired on CBS from 1990-1995. Mahaffey's other notable TV roles included Alma Hodge on season three of Desperate Housewives, teacher Victoria MacElroy on Young Sheldon, and Helen Pergman on Big Sky. She guest starred on dozens of shows throughout her career including Cheers, CSI, Seinfeld, Wings, ER, The Mindy Project, Grey's Anatomy, Hannah Montana, and Boston Legal. Her film credits included roles in Jungle 2 Jungle, My First Wedding and this year's Apple TV thriller, The 8th Day. She gained acclaim for the 2020 indie film French Exit with Michelle Pfeiffer and Lucas Hedges, earning her an Independent Spirit Award nomination. Fans saddened to hear word of Mahaffey's passing shared tributes on social media. 'Nobody could play CRAZY like Valerie Mahaffey. Desperate Housewives was INSANE,' one fan shared with a clip of Mahaffey in a scene with Marcia Cross. 'RIP Valerie Mahaffey. Thanks for all the laughs,' another wrote. 'RIP to a wonderful character actress. No matter the episode count or number of lines she would have, Valerie Mahaffey made an impression. Loved her as Frasier's secretary & on Big Sky,' another said. More to follow
The Verge
29 minutes ago
- The Verge
Sony's DualSense Edge controller is receiving a rare $30 discount
Sony might have just recently introduced a new low price on the PlayStation 5 Pro with its latest Days of Play sale, but that's not the only deal worth your attention. Sony is also offering a range of accessories at a discount, including the high-end DualSense Edge. Regularly $199.99, the customizable controller is available from Amazon, Best Buy, and Sony for an all-time low of $169 through June 11th. Sony DualSense Edge $20016% off Sony's pro-style controller, the DualSense Edge, might suffer from shorter battery life than the standard DualSense model, but it features great software integration with the PlayStation 5 and plenty of customizable components. If you're looking for a highly customizable controller, the Edge is a great option that offers excellent software integration with the PS5. The premium gamepad lets you effortlessly switch between up to four personalized profiles, each of which lets you customize things like stick sensitivity and rear button controls. It's just as easy to swap out stick modules, too, allowing you to quickly replace the stick tops should they ever wear out. What's more, the rear triggers feature adjustable stops, so you can control how far they can be pressed and fine-tune your response time in shooters and other competitive games. Additionally, the Edge offers the same haptics and adaptive triggers found on Sony's standard DualSense controller, along with two styles of rear paddles, each suited to a different grip preference. Its charging cable also features a handy locking mechanism to ensure it won't get yanked out while gaming; however, the Edge is limited to approximately eight hours of battery life when used wirelessly, meaning it doesn't last quite as long as the OG DualSense. I guess that's the price you pay for souped-up components and software, at least with Sony. More ways to save this weekend Now through tomorrow, June 1st, you can grab the last-gen Oura Ring Generation 3 at Wellbots in the Heritage configuration for $195 ($104 off) or the Horizon config for $210 ($90 off) when using coupon code OURAVERGE25. They're functionally the same smart ring even if the design is slightly different, meaning you'll be able to track your sleeping habits and other health metrics — including your heart rate, SpO2 levels, and menstrual cycle — no matter which size or model you decide to go with. Read our review. We might be alone in thinking this, but we'd argue that Govee's new Gaming Pixel Light was one of the coolest gizmos to come out of CES 2025. And right now, it's available directly from Govee for an all-time low of $95.99 ($24 off) or at Amazon starting at $101.99 ($18 off). The Alexa-compatible grid can display art, animations, and live data, letting you view pixelated details on everything from the weather to the latest NBA scores. It also has an AI component, like everything else, if you're not much of an artist yourself. Both Amazon and Anker have dropped the price of Anker's MagGo Wireless Charging Station to $63.99 ($26 off) for the next couple of days, though you'll need to punch in offer code WS7DV29E602L at the latter retailer. The adjustable 3-in-1 stand is yet another solid option if you want to top off a pair of AirPods and an Apple Watch alongside your phone, especially since the Qi2 dock can supply up to 15W of power to MagSafe-ready iPhone models.
Digital Trends
31 minutes ago
- Digital Trends
Upgrade to the PS5 DualSense Edge controller while it's 15% off
There's always high demand for PlayStation deals, whether it's for the console, its accessories, or its games, so we expect this offer from Amazon for the PlayStation DualSense Edge wireless controller to sell out quickly. It's on sale with a 15% discount that slashes the PS5 controller's price to $169 from $200, for savings of $31. The lowered price is only available for a limited time, which may even be shorter than planned as stocks may disappear at any moment. If you're interested in this bargain, we highly recommend proceeding with your purchase right now. Why you should buy the PlayStation DualSense Edge wireless controller The PlayStation DualSense for the PlayStation 5 is excellent, but it's the PlayStation DualSense Edge that headlines our list of the best PS5 controllers. It's Sony's 'Pro' controller for the PS5 that's designed to provide high performance and deep customization. It offers changeable stick caps, replaceable stick modules, adjustable trigger lengths, and mappable back buttons. The controller also has a dedicated function button for switching between controller profiles, and it comes with a sturdy carrying case where you can keep all of its components organized. In our review of the PlayStation DualSense Edge, one of the negatives about the controller is its high price. However, with the discount from Amazon, it's a more tempting purchase, especially if you want to elevate the experience of playing the best PS5 games, particularly when you're engaging in the online multiplayer modes of cross-platform games. The controller also has a strong build quality, so it will withstand all the button mashing that you have to do to secure a victory. Serious gamers should definitely consider buying the PlayStation DualSense Edge wireless controller, especially now that it's available from Amazon at 15% off. Instead of its sticker price of $200, you'll only have to pay $169, and you can spend the $31 in savings towards more video games for the PS5. This limited-time deal may no longer be around tomorrow though, so if you don't want to miss this special price for the PlayStation DualSense Edge wireless controller, you should buy it today.
