Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune to Join the 'Streaming Revolution'

Two of America's favorite game shows may soon find their way into your home a different way. Although Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune have stuck it out among "the biggest holdouts of the streaming revolution," the programs' owner, Sony Pictures Entertainment, said on Thursday it was seeking bids from big tech and media companies for streaming rights, reports the New York Times.

• Details: Whoever nabs those rights would be permitted to stream new episodes of the shows the day after they appear on syndicated TV, according to Sony officials. Starting in September 2028, when syndicated deals already in place will have expired, new episodes would be able to be aired on the same day they appear on traditional TV. Streaming rights are targeted to begin this September and could be valid for up to three years, per the Sony reps.

• Sony's take: "We want to make sure that these shows are as relevant as they are now—or more—40 years from now," says new SPE CEO Ravi Ahuja, who notes he's been mulling over how to bring those two shows into the streaming arena since he joined Sony four years ago. "When I got here it was clear that Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! were the proverbial assets hiding in plain sight." He cites "massive viewership" and "a passionate fan base" as signals that these shows could be "a big opportunity for more growth."
• Balancing act: Part of the reason for the shift to streaming is to attract a newer generation of viewers that's more apt to watch on their phones or laptops than on a standard boob tube. But Sony execs also don't want to push older, more traditional viewers away, or the local broadcast stations that currently air the game shows.
• Sony-CBS spat: Higher-ups at Sony say this streaming news is unrelated to a legal battle between Sony and CBS that's been dragging out for months over distribution rights for the syndicated programs. Sony sued CBS in October, alleging the network had failed to get the shows out to local TV stations in the US while entering into unauthorized syndication deals in other countries, per Collider and the Hollywood Reporter. Sony tried to take over the distribution itself, but CBS filed for a temporary restraining order on that move.

(More Jeopardy stories.)