Sony Teams With CBS, 3 Arts on TV Programs

In an unusual arrangement to shore up its weakness in distributing TV programs, Sony Television Entertainment on Wednesday formed a company with CBS and the talent management firm 3 Arts Entertainment to produce prime-time shows.

While rivals such as Warner Bros., Paramount, Disney and Fox studios have bought or started TV networks to lock in shelf space for their shows, Sony has made no such alliance and lacks the cable reach of its competitors in the U.S. Changes in federal rules that allow networks to own the programs they air threaten to reduce the number of time slots available to outside program suppliers.

Under the agreement, CBS has first choice of TV shows developed by the new company, 3 Arts Television. The venture will be independently funded and run by Jeff Wachtel, formerly executive vice president of Columbia Pictures Television.

3 Arts, which represents such stars as Jennifer Aniston, Billy Baldwin, Winona Ryder and Rosie Perez, as well as a slate of writers and producers, will contribute access to talent.

For CBS, the venture is yet another way to profit from owning programs, which can make big money in syndication, in overseas markets and on cable. The network produces such shows as “Walker, Texas Ranger” and “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” as well as syndicated shows through a new Eyemark unit.