“Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” are headed for a streaming deal for the primary time as proprietor Sony Footage Leisure seeks a bigger, youthful viewers.
On Thursday, Sony mentioned it was soliciting bids from main media and tech corporations for the streaming rights to new episodes of the 2 long-running collection, in line with The New York Instances.
The mum or dad firm is in talks with a number of streaming providers and expects to clinch a deal by early April, in line with the report.
Sony mentioned the streaming rights to the 2 in style recreation reveals would begin in September and will final for 3 years.
“The world is changing around us,” Keith Le Goy, chairman of Sony’s TV division, informed the Instances. “Consumption on streaming is now overtaking consumption of other forms of delivery of television.”
Sony didn’t instantly reply to The Submit’s request for remark.
“Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” proceed to rake in huge audiences regardless of premiering a long time in the past – in 1964 with host Artwork Fleming, and in 1975 with Chuck Woolery, respectively.
The 2 recreation reveals draw about seven million viewers an evening every, in line with Nielsen.
However their audiences, together with different basic TV mainstays, are rising older and getting smaller.
So Sony is trying to develop its viewer base, mimicking the identical tactic utilized by sports activities giants like WWE, which signed a deal final 12 months to stream “WWE Raw” completely on Netflix.
The NFL, in the meantime, streams its Thursday video games on Amazon Prime, and the Tremendous Bowl streamed on free service Tubi for the primary time this 12 months.
Award reveals, which additionally entice massive audiences on conventional TV, have penned their very own streaming offers. The Oscars, for instance, will stream dwell on Hulu for the primary time on Sunday.
New episodes of “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” will stream on the successful bidder’s service the day after they air on syndicated tv, in line with the Instances.
Identical-day rights to new episodes can be out there in September 2028, when pre-existing syndication offers expire, the report mentioned.
Ravi Ahuja, who took the helm as Sony’s chief govt final month, mentioned he has been brainstorming methods to maneuver the reveals to streaming since he joined the corporate 4 years in the past.
“People are running all over town looking for intellectual property,” Ahuja informed the Instances.
“When I got here it was clear that ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and ‘Jeopardy!’ were the proverbial assets hiding in plain sight. There was full awareness in the country, massive viewership and a passionate fan base. All of that pointed to a big opportunity for more growth,” he added.
Sony has overhauled the 2 reveals because it prepares for a pivot to streaming.
Ryan Seacrest, recognized for his in style radio reveals and position internet hosting “American Idol,” changed longtime host Pat Sajak on “Wheel of Fortune” final 12 months.
Seacrest signed a deal reaching via the early 2030s to assist the present transition to streaming.
Ken Jennings, who holds the document for the longest successful streak on “Jeopardy!” with 74 wins in a row, turned the full-time host in 2023.
Sony has revamped the units and know-how for each of the reveals, together with new inexperienced screens and screens.
In the meantime, Sony has been embroiled in a months-long tussle with CBS over distribution rights to the 2 syndicated reveals, which the corporate mentioned is separate from the streaming rights.
“Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” collectively produce a whopping 425 syndicated episodes a 12 months, which may assist streaming providers maintain onto subscribers who usually watch the reveals.
The reveals additionally generated a mixed $175 million in advert income final 12 months, in line with knowledge agency Guideline.
