Paramount Bets on Game Shows

Paramount Television Group is investing in a new game show company created by the former management team and employee group of Mark Goodson Productions, the producers of “The Price Is Right,” “Family Feud” and a host of other popular game shows.

Co-founders of the new company are Jonathan Goodson, the former president and chief executive of Goodson Productions, and Harris Katleman, its former chief operating executive and 13-year head of Twentieth Television.

The new company, called Jonathan Goodson Productions, already has three game shows on the air in Massachusetts, Illinois and Florida based on lotteries in those states. Bettors in those states can buy special lottery tickets to become contestants on the shows, which are games of chance.

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In Massachusetts, Katleman said, the show is No. 2 in its Saturday night time period after “Wheel of Fortune.”

He said the partners bought the lottery division from Goodson Productions when the company was recently sold by the estate of Mark Goodson to All American Communications. Katleman said the cash flow from the three shows and the equity investment from Paramount would help finance other state lottery shows as well as other television productions.

Though Paramount is relatively new to the game-show format, Katleman said its syndication arm that will sell its shows is first-rate. That “Wheel” and “Jeopardy!” are the top-rated shows in syndication is not lost on Paramount.