Press Releases
Game Show Network 2023 Upfront
GAME SHOW NETWORK AND SONY PICTURES TELEVISION HEAD INTO 2023 UPFRONT TOUTING THE BENEFITS OF LIVE VIEWING, A STRONG SLATE OF ORIGINALS AND BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE GAME SHOW VERTICAL
NEW YORK - (March 28, 2023) – Game Show Network and Sony Pictures Television (SPT) announced offerings for the 2023 Upfronts will continue to include options in live viewing, integrations, and syndicated programming. Delivering one of the top levels of live viewing[i] and commercial retention in the industry, opportunities exist with Game Show Network’s successful original programming slate and branded entertainment opportunities in America’s most successful and long running game shows, JEOPARDY! and WHEEL OF FORTUNE, as well as positions in some of the most iconic shows in syndication.
A top 20 cable network[ii] Game Show Network remains a prolific producer of content, with over 275 hours of shows in 2023 (26% over the previous year), as a result of its commitment to delivering high quality original programming and the consistency of a stripped schedule. Game Show Network has greenlit four new strip series, SPLIT SECOND, based on the format from game show legend Monty Hall, to be hosted by Emmy®-Nominated Game Show Host John Michael Higgins (“America Says”, “Pitch Perfect”), in his second series for the network, the comedic game show format BLANK SLATE, to be hosted by Mario Lopez (“Access Hollywood”), RIDDICULOUS (working title) based on the popular UK game of riddles, along with recently announced HEY YAHOO!, hosted by actor Tom Cavanagh (“Ed”, “The Flash”), which is based on the most popular searches on Yahoo Search.
Rounding out the schedule are the recently premiered fan favorites the all-star trivia show MASTER MINDS (January 2023)hosted by Emmy®-nominated game show host Brooke Burns and featuring a panel of Master Mind trivia experts who compete against the contestants, which enters its fifth season as the show improved its time period by +33% (W25-54)[iii] and SWITCH (January 2023), a quick-moving trivia show where contestants take positions behind large numbers from 1 to 5, hosted by actor Jeff Hephner (“Chicago Med”, “Chicago Fire”) will be back for its second season as it improved its time period by 20% (P2+)[iv]
Additional offerings include short-form ad options in America’s most successful game shows in history, JEOPARDY! and WHEEL OF FORTUNE, as well as premium commercial environments in the SPT syndicated programming portfolio comprised of Craig Ferguson’s late-night return with TV-focused talk show CHANNEL SURF, the hit medical drama series THE GOOD DOCTOR, S.W.A.T., the fast growing critically acclaimed off-network drama of the season, laugh-along iconic “friends and family” comedies such as SEINFELD, THE GOLDBERGS and KING OF QUEENS as well as a variety of courtroom entertainment programming.
“Game Show Network delivers live viewing levels that rival both sports and news,” said Stuart Zimmerman, Executive Vice President, Ad Sales for Sony Pictures Television (SPT) and Game Show Network. “There’s no breaking news or split screens to disrupt this experience. The benefit to our advertisers is that game shows as a genre have over a 90% commercial retention when viewing commercials, and Game Show Network is the destination for game show viewers. Clients expect a safe harbor in a trusted environment and Game Show Network delivers.”
New Series
Game Show Network debuts four new series this year: SPLIT SECOND, premiering in April, HEY YAHOO!, premiering in June, and RIDDICULOUS (working title) and BLANK SLATE premiering in the fall.
Based on a format from game show legend Monty Hall, SPLIT SECOND asks three contestants to decide in a split second which of three general interest trivia questions they can answer. The first player to buzz in gets the first pick, and the last player is left to answer whatever is left, which is often the most difficult. The player with the fastest response time and the highest success rate answering questions over the first three rounds advance to the bonus game where their ability to answer a rapid-fire series of questions could win them $10,000. SPLIT SECOND is produced by Game Show Enterprises Studios with Michael Binkow as executive producer. Nancy Glass, Marcus Lemonis, and Sharon Hall also serve as executive producers for Marcus/Glass Productions. John Michael Higgins serves as host and executive producer.
In HEY YAHOO!, two teams of three players each compete to guess what millions of people are searching for on Yahoo Search. Contestants are given the first half of a search, and then have to fill-in-the-blank based on what they think America is searching for. For each correct answer, the dollar value of that answer is added to the team’s bank. At the end of three rounds of play, the team with the most money wins and will go on to the bonus round for a chance to add an extra $10,000 to their winnings. HEY YAHOO! is produced by Game Show Enterprises Studios for Game Show Network with Rane Laymance serving as executive producer and Brian Provost as executive producer for Yahoo. Al Hassas of Sweet Lemons, LLC and Dean Tempest of Big Potato Limited also serve as executive producers.
Based on the hit UK game of riddles format created by East Media, RIDDICULOUS (working title) is a new game show where three teams of two compete to answer trivia questions as the gateway to solving riddles and puzzles for big money. Presented with questions sharing a common theme (e.g., every answer begins with Y, or is a popular food), the first team to answer three correctly goes head-to-head with the Riddle Master, a devious and mischievous expert who dishes out clever riddles and visual puzzles. The team with the most money in their bank at the end of Round 3 moves on to face the Riddle Master's Riddiculous Riddle Run bonus round. If the team solves seven riddles in 60 seconds, they walk away with $10,000! RIDDICULOUS (working title) is a Game Show Enterprises Studios production. Nathan Eastwood and Sunil Patel also serve as Executive Producers for East Media. East Media is part of The Whisper Group.
Based on the board game by USAopoly and in the comedic game show format, BLANK SLATE is a fun and funny game show where thinking alike, in the form of matching answers to clever fill-in-the blank questions, can win you big bucks. Each team of two friends will be paired with a comedian guest, and the teams accumulate points by matching their teammates, with a bonus if any player matches America’s top answer. The celebrities switch teams in round two, and in round three the trailing team picks the comedian partner they believe will help them win. The winning team moves on to the bonus round where they can pick a comedian to match on each question. If the team gets three matches, they walk away with $10,000! BLANK SLATE is a Game Show Enterprises Studios production with Rane Laymance serving as executive producer. Richard Gerrits and Laura Robinson also serve as Executive Producers for Heath Street Media Inc.
Among the shows on the Game Show Network schedule in 2023 and in the SPT portfolio include:
MASTER MINDS is produced by Game Show Enterprises Studios for Game Show Network. Ed Egan is executive producer. SWITCH is based on a hit show in Belgium from DIGA Studios (“Hot Ones: The Game Show”) and based on a format developed by Panenka for VRT in Belgium and distributed globally by Lineup Industries. Executive producers for DIGA Studios are Tony DiSanto and Nick Rigg. Rich Sirop also serves as executive producer. PEOPLE PUZZLER, produced by Game Show Enterprises Studios, Start Entertainment and PEOPLE’s parent company, Dotdash Meredith, the largest digital and print publisher in America. Executive Producers are Rane Laymance for Game Show Enterprises, Scott St. John and Neal Konstantini for Start Entertainment, LLC, along with Rachel Feinberg for Dotdash. Leah Remini also serves as executive producer. AMERICA SAYS, produced by Game Show Enterprises Studios for Game Show Network, is based on a format by Keller/Noll. Rane Laymance serves as executive producer. Tara Long and Mark Herwick of Entertainment One (eOne) and Dave Noll and Cleve Keller of Keller/Noll also serve as executive producers.
JEOPARDY!, America’s Favorite Quiz Show™, is the top-rated quiz show on television, and has received numerous awards and honors. WHEEL OF FORTUNE is trademarked as America’s Game™. Both iconic shows are produced by Sony Pictures Television, a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company. They are distributed domestically by CBS Media Ventures and internationally by Paramount Global Content Distribution, both units of Paramount.
Newly syndicated
CHANNEL SURF is produced by produced by Whisper North, a division of SPT-backed production company Whisper. THE GOOD DOCTOR is produced by SPT and ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios, and is distributed by SPT.
About Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television (SPT) is one of the television industry’s leading content providers, producing, distributing and carrying programming worldwide in every genre and for every platform. In addition to managing one of the industry’s largest libraries of award-winning feature films, television shows and formats, SPT is home to a thriving global content business, operating a robust portfolio of wholly-owned and joint-venture production companies across the U.S., Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific, as well as linear and digital channels around the world. SPT is a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation.
ABOUT GAME SHOW NETWORK, LLC
Game Show Network, LLC (“Game Show Network”) is the leader in game show entertainment across multimedia, which presents original and classic game programming and competitive entertainment via its cable network; the digital ad supported network, Game Show Central; the GameShowNetwork.com website; and Game Show Enterprises Studios, the production arm of the network and studio that develops and produces hundreds of hours of original episodes, including PEOPLE PUZZLER and MASTER MINDS among others, making Game Show Network the premiere destination for fun, family-friendly programming. Game Show Network is distributed throughout the U.S., Caribbean and Canada by all major cable operators, satellite providers and telcos. Game Show Network is owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation. For further information, please visit GameShowNetwork.com
For additional information and photos, please go to https://press.gsntv.com/ and https://www.sonypictures.com/tv
[i] Source: Nielsen, NNTV, Q4 2021, P2+ (000) program averages: % Live Viewing = Live Only/L7, % Commercial retention = C7/L7; SPTAS + GSN = [Sony Pictures TV originator + 3rd party :30 program representation originators (MGM, PPI and Hearst) + GSN prime M-Sun 7P -12A avg]; Syndication Avg = (CBS Media Ventures + Disney ABC Domestic TV + NBC Universal + Warner Brothers TV originators); Ad Supported Cable = M-Sun 7-12A, all English language ad-supported cable networks; Broadcast Networks = M-Sat 8-11P and Sun 7-11P (ABC + CBS + CW + FOX + NBC avg), excludes sports and repeats
[ii] Source: NPOWER, Ratings Analysis Time Period Report, Live + SD, 12/27/2021 - 12/25/2022, Viewing Source – Ad Supported Cable Orig -ALL, M-SU 6A-6A, (000), P2+.
[iii] Source: Nielsen Media Research National MIT, Star Media MultiTrak Reporting System , Viewing Type: Live+SD, Network: GSN, Measurement Interval: 12/12/22-01/08/2023 & 01/09/23- 02/23/23, Name Averages – Master Minds, 06:00P -06:30P , Exclude Repeats, (000), W25-54.
[iv] Source: Nielsen Media Research National MIT, Star Media MultiTrak Reporting System , Viewing Type: Live+SD, Network: GSN, Measurement Interval: 01/02/23-01/29/23 & 01/30/23-02/23/23 , Name Averages – Switch, 07:00P -07:30P , Exclude Repeats, (000), P2+.