The Negative Implications of Judge Judy’s TV Comeback for CBS

Judge Judy Sheindlin, the renowned TV judge, is making a comeback to television this fall, but it seems that her return may have negative implications for CBS. After ending her long-running show, “Judge Judy,” which aired on CBS for 25 seasons, Sheindlin and her executive producer, Scott Koondel, created a new courtroom show called “Judy Justice” on Amazon’s Freevee streaming service via Sox Entertainment. Now, Sheindlin’s return to linear television has put CBS in a difficult position as they find themselves selling repeats of “Judge Judy,” while other stations have the option to air original shows from “Judy Justice.”

CBS had initially hoped to rely on local markets buying up reruns of Sheindlin’s old show, but they were taken by surprise when she introduced a new product for stations to purchase. This has left CBS with less valuable content in the marketplace, while “Judy Justice” gains popularity and stations opt for original episodes from the new show. CBS is now trying to secure prime timeslots and top dollar for their reruns, while “Judy Justice” aims to take over the best stations and timeslots.

There were discussions about replacing CBS’ daytime chat series, “The Talk,” with “Judy Justice,” but sources reveal that these talks did not materialize. CBS’ syndication division already owns the rights to the library of the original “Judge Judy” show and has been providing episodes to stations since its end in 2021. A CBS syndication insider stated that “Judge Judy” has been a staple of their programming offerings for decades, and they already have the whole library to license.

Despite the challenges faced by CBS, Sheindlin’s loyal audience is expected to follow her from broadcast to streaming and cable. Sheindlin is described as a juggernaut with a massive loyal following who can draw a New Year’s Eve crowd if broadcasted on a billboard in Times Square. Her new show, “Judy Justice,” will air in broadcast syndication this fall, while reruns of “Judge Judy” will continue to be available on CBS stations.

Overall, the situation presents a dilemma for CBS as they try to compete with “Judy Justice” while selling less valuable repeats of “Judge Judy.” However, fans of Judge Judy can still catch her on television, with “Judy Justice” airing at 3 p.m. on Pix 11 and reruns of “Judge Judy” on CBS stations. It seems that at least one notable fan, Jay-Z, will be pleased with Sheindlin’s return to TV.