“Wheel Of Fortune”, “Jeopardy” heads to streaming

Sony putting game veteran game shows up for bid

Two longtime prime access game shows are finally joining the streaming age. 

Sony Pictures Television is soliciting bids from streamers to air next-day episodes of Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy starting this fall, putting new episodes on the platform for the first time. The streamers and tech companies Sony plan to pitch to include big players such as Netflix, Amazon, Apple, and Hulu/Disney Plus, whose corporate parent Disney already has the syndication rights to both shows in the nation’s top markets, including Chicago’s ABC 7 (WLS-TV).

“The world is changing around us,” Sony TV chairman Keith Le Goy told the New York Times. “Consumption on streaming is now overtaking consumption of other forms of delivery of television. Big iconic franchises, like the N.F.L, the N.B.A. and W.W.E., are moving over.”

Sony is in negotiations and could have a deal ready to announce in the next few weeks. It would include rights to next-day episodes for the three seasons and same-day airing starting in September 2028 when all existing syndication deals expire. By then, Sony could gain full syndication rights from CBS Media Ventures as the two continue to battle each other in court over both franchises. Sony tried to yank distribution rights from CBS in January, but a judge blocked the move. CBS has no input or say on these shows besides distribution to local stations, including streaming rights. 

Whether next-day or same-day, a streaming solution would be ideal for fans who would not be available to watch the shows live as it air – especially for Jeopardy fans in some Central and Mountain Time Zone markets, where the show does not air in access, but in early fringe (late afternoon) instead. It’s a complaint Chicago viewers have long made as Jeopardy (except for two years in the 2010s) has aired at 3:30 p.m. on ABC 7 since September 1984, even in an era where VCRs and later DVRs were dominant. 

Sony has made an effort to freshen up the shows. Last year, Ryan Seacrest replaced a retiring Pat Sajak as host and ratings remained stable. Ken Jennings became host of Jeopardy in 2023 after a turbulent era in which finding a replacement for the late Alex Trebek turned into a farce. On the downside, Sony recently discontinued streaming classic episodes of both shows via Pluto TV.

Syndicated shows often have the hardest path to streaming, and their syndicators have to be sensitive to local stations, who basically pay the freight through traditional cash/barter deals. It remains to be seen how they’ll react to these changes and how this will impact renewals come 2028.