Sony launches gameshows in Middle East

Sony Pictures Television Arabia is to launch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! across the Middle East after it struck its first non-scripted format deals in the region.

The Arabian arm of the Hollywood studio announced a raft of deals at TBI publisher Informa Telecoms and Media’s Digital TV Middle East event, where SPT Arabia president Ziad Kebbi is talking on a panel titled The state of play for international media companies in the Middle East.

Egyptian broadcaster Hayat TV has ordered 240x30mins episodes of Wheel of Fortune and the network will schedule the gameshow daily across its flagship channel.

Separately, pan regional free-to-air broadcaster MBC Group is to launch 20x1hr episodes of Jeopardy! that will be produced by SPT Arabia in Lebanon.

CBS Studios International distributes the international format of both gameshows and marks the first time either will be produced in the region. It follows a number of scripted format deals closed by Sony including an Egyptian version of Everybody Loves Raymond.

Ziad Kebbi, president, SPT Arabia, said: “Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! are two of the world’s most iconic gameshows so it’s very exciting to offer Middle East broadcasters and audiences their own versions. This expansion into non-scripted programs is an important step in SPT Arabia’s growth strategy as we increase our production footprint in the region.”