Culver City-based Sony said it would send new episodes directly to television stations, escalating the contract dispute with CBS. Paramount-owned CBS said it would go to court to try to block Sony's action.

Sony Pictures TV aims to take over full distribution of “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy” as early as next week the studio battles CBS in a lawsuit over their longstanding partnership on the syndicated game show stalwarts.

Sony Pictures Television has informed CBS Studios that it will take over full distribution of syndicated game shows "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy" as early as next week as a legal battle between the two studios heats up.

Doubt Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White will be saying the letters C-B-S this week on Wheel of Fortune, but the still Shari Redstone-owned company just lost a hold on one of its gameshow goldmines, at least according to Sony.

Sony Pictures Television has assumed global distribution functions for syndicated TV game shows "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!" citing failure by CBS Studios to live up to contract terms, the company said in a letter to CBS on Monday.

The studio says it will take over distribution of the two popular game shows next week and amends an earlier lawsuit in the matter.

The trade site notes that Sony and CBS are currently legally entangled over their decades-old original agreements. In complaints filed last fall, Sony Pictures TV alleged that CBS' management of the game shows resulted in losing revenue and goodwill around the programs.

Sony Pictures Television, which produces syndicated TV game shows "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!", told distributor CBS Studios on Monday that it is taking back global distribution of the programs because of alleged contract violations by CBS.