KING WORLD AND SONY PICTURES TELEVISION - THE TEAM BEHIND RATINGS POWERHOUSES "WHEEL OF FORTUNE" AND "JEOPARDY!" - DEVELOP TWO NEW SYNDICATED GAME SHOWS
One-Hour Block Will Be Available to Stations for Fall 2007
CULVER CITY, CA (April 17, 2006) -- King World and Sony Pictures Television (SPT), -- the distributors and producers of two of the most successful game shows in history �Wheel of Fortune� and �Jeopardy!� -- have reunited to create two new half-hour game shows to be offered to stations as a one-hour block available in syndication for Fall 2007, it was announced today by Roger King, CEO, King World and Steve Mosko, president, SPT.
The two game shows will be developed and executive produced by Harry Friedman, who helms �Wheel� and �Jeopardy!.� Under the agreement, King World and SPT will co-produce the shows; King World will handle distribution sales to stations; and SPT will manage ad sales.
For the past two decades �Wheel� and �Jeopardy!� have demonstrated television viewers� appetite for game shows. Over the last 20 years, �Wheel� has consistently ranked as the #1 show in all of syndication, while �Jeopardy!� finishes in the top 3. �Wheel� is currently in its 23rd season and �Jeopardy!� is in its 22nd season.
�We are thrilled to be expanding our relationship with Steve Mosko, Harry Friedman and Sony,� said King. �We believe that the marketplace will respond enthusiastically to programming from the best producers in the game show business.�
�Every night �Wheel of Fortune� and �Jeopardy!� prove that America is fascinated with game shows,� said Mosko, �and Harry has done an amazing job keeping the shows fresh and exciting. These new programs,� he added, �will also provide exciting new propositions for advertisers.�
Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry�s leading content providers. It produces and distributes programming in every genre, including series, telefilms, theatrical releases and family entertainment for network and cable television, as well as first-run and off-network series for syndication. With more than 25 programs on the air, SPT boasts a program slate that includes the top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. The advertiser sales division of Sony Pictures Television is one of the premiere national advertising sales companies, handling the commercial inventory in SPT syndicated series and for Indemand�s high definition channel INHD. Together, the Sony and MGM film and television libraries constitute the largest collection of its kind in the world. SPT (www.sonypicturestelevision.com) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.
King World Productions, Inc. is the preeminent company in television syndication, distributing four of the Top Five and six of the Top Ten daily syndicated series, including the two highest-rated talk shows and two highest-rated game shows. In Fall 2006, it will launch the highly anticipated, new talk series featuring dynamic television personality and best-selling author Rachael Ray. Among King World�s stable of quality, critically-acclaimed programming are Wheel of Fortune, America�s favorite game show, which has ranked #1 among all syndicated strips since its debut 22 years ago; Jeopardy!, America�s favorite quiz show, which has ranked #2 among all syndicated strips for the past 21 seasons; The Oprah Winfrey Show, which has been the #1-rated talk series for the past 19 seasons and Dr. Phil, which has ranked as the #2-rated talk series since its debut in Fall 2002. Additionally, for the past 17 seasons, King World has produced and distributed Inside Edition, the longest-running and highest-rated newsmagazine in syndication. In addition, King World syndicates the CBS network primetime hits, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami and CSI: NY, family favorite Everybody Loves Raymond and the reality series, Survivor, The Amazing Race and America�s Next Top Model. The King World slate also includes MarketWatch Weekend, Bob Vila and Mr. Food.
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