After a successful 25-season run of “Judge Judy,” Judge Judy Sheindlin decided to end her syndicated courtroom series with CBS in 2021. However, she quickly returned with a new show called “Judy Justice,” distributed on Amazon’s Freevee streaming service through Sox Entertainment. Now, Judge Judy is making her way back to linear television this fall, despite CBS rerunning her old show “Judge Judy.”
CBS, where Judge Judy originally aired, was banking on local markets buying up reruns of “Judge Judy,” but was surprised when Sheindlin introduced a new show for stations to consider. This move put CBS in a difficult position, as they are now stuck selling repeats of the old show which holds less value compared to the new and original content from “Judy Justice.”
Variety reported that CBS is trying to secure prime timeslots and negotiate for top dollar for their reruns of “Judge Judy,” while Sox Entertainment aims to promote “Judy Justice” and acquire the best stations and timeslots for the new show. This competition between the two networks highlights the battle for viewership and advertising revenue in the daytime television market.
There were discussions about replacing CBS’s long-running chat series, “The Talk,” with “Judy Justice,” but nothing came to fruition. Despite owning the rights to the original show’s library, CBS seemed uninterested in making the switch and cited a full plate of syndication programming offerings. This missed opportunity could have been a significant shift in daytime television, but it did not come to pass.
Judge Judy is described as a TV juggernaut with a massive and loyal audience that transcends different platforms. Her executive producer, Scott Koondel, highlighted her ability to draw in audiences from broadcast to streaming to cable. This loyal following is evident in the decision to air “Judy Justice” on Pix 11 in New York City, alongside reruns of “Judge Judy” on CBS stations.
Overall, the return of Judge Judy poses an interesting dynamic in the world of daytime television, with networks competing for viewership and advertising opportunities. Judge Judy’s loyal fanbase and strong presence in the industry make her a force to be reckoned with, even when faced with reruns of her own show. The marketplace strategies and missed opportunities surrounding the return of Judge Judy highlight the complexities of the television industry and the importance of adapting to changing viewer preferences.
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