CBS Poised to Lose Bid to Stop Sony Taking ‘Jeopardy’ Rights

Paramount Global’s CBS is poised to lose its bid to block Sony Group Corp. from distributing Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune while a dispute between the media companies over rights to the shows plays out in court.

A California state judge on Wednesday issued a tentative ruling denying CBS’ request to halt Sony from taking over distribution of the long-running game shows.

“Sony can begin distributing the shows and need not deliver episodes to CBS,” Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kevin C. Brazile said.

The judge is scheduled to hold a hearing Thursday to give CBS a chance make its argument before he finalizes his order.

“We’ll go to court tomorrow, as scheduled, and argue that the ‘tentative’ ruling should not become ‘final; and, if it does, that its effect is stayed pending our appeal, which we would file immediately,” a CBS Media Ventures spokesperson said in a statement.

Representatives for Sony didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The dispute began in October when Sony sued CBS, accusing the broadcasting company of making more than $1 billion in profit from the distribution agreement, but not working aggressively enough to maximize revenue from licensing the shows to local TV stations and selling advertising in them.

The case is Sony Pictures Television Inc. v. CBS Studios Inc., 24STCV28777, California Superior Court, Los Angeles County.

Top photo: A general view on the set of the “Jeopardy!” Million Dollar Celebrity Invitational Tournament Show Taping on April 17, 2010 in Culver City, California. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images).