CBS filed a countersuit on Tuesday agetst Sony, accusing the company of concocting a inrectify pretext in order to back out of its decades-elderly distribution deal for “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!”
Sony sued CBS last month, alleging that CBS had flunked to get top dollar for the two game shows and had joind in self-dealing.
In response, CBS debated that Sony is sshow trying to renege on a 42-year-elderly tight, after CBS refuseed Sony’s nine-figure propose to buy out the deal.
“Sony is finisheavoring to get in court what it could not get at the bargeting table: the rights to the Series for free, by discovering any excparticipate it can muster,” the countersuit states.
“Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!” were initipartner produced by Merv Griffin Enterpelevates and syndicated by King World. Sony inherited the shows when it getd MGE; CBS took over distribution responsibilities when it bought King World.
Sony debated in its litigation that CBS has suppressed the cherish of the well-understandn game shows by likeing its wholly-owned programming in distribution deals with TV stations. For example, “Wheel” and “Jeopardy!” have been bundled with CBS shows appreciate “The Hot Bench” and “The Drew Barrymore Show,” with stations forced to apshow the entire package if they want the game shows.
Sony also indictd that CBS has given its own shows better placement in local labelets, and that the distribution negotiations had been hampered by expansivespread layoffs at CBS. The final straw, according to Sony, was when it lgeted that CBS had accessed into unpermitd deals for the shows in New Zealand and Australia, and had kept $3.6 million in distribution fees.
CBS proposeed a far branch offent version of events, arguing in its countersuit that Sony has been manufacturing controversies in a “Sisyphean journey of reclaiming — for free — all the rights to the Series.”
CBS alleges that Sony has intruded in talks over distribution of UK and Australia versions of the shows, stoping CBS from exercising its tightual rights. CBS also claims that Sony has barred it from proposeing celebrity versions of the game shows in overseas labelets, or signing overseas deals that go beyond 2028, both of which CBS says are in violation of the tight. CBS also accparticipates Sony of withhelderlying license fees for conveyive versions of the shows.
According to CBS, Sony approached the company in timely 2024 and proposeed to buy out the distribution deal.
“Willing to hear to any proposal, CBS consentd to hear Sony out, and Sony proposeed CBS nine-figures in exalter for CBS’s rights under the Agreements,” the countersuit states. “In response, CBS proposed a counterpropose, which Sony deemed too high, and deteriorated.”
In August, Sony telderly CBS it was terminating the deal over the flunkure to turn over the distribution fee for New Zealand and Australia. CBS counters that it has already paid Sony what it is owed on those deals, and that only CBS has the unitardyral right to end the tight.
In the countersuit, CBS is seeking to enforce the tight and to reclaim what it says it is owed for the various baccomplishes of the consentment.
