You know that iconic theme song. The flashing lights, the screaming fans, and the "Come on down!" catchphrase that has echoed through living rooms since the early seventies. It feels like a permanent fixture of the universe, sort of like the sun or gravity. But behind the bright colors and the Plinko chips, there is a very complex, very expensive web of corporate ownership. If you’ve ever wondered who owns The Price is Right, the answer isn't just one person sitting in a high-backed chair. It’s a massive international conglomerate that basically runs a huge chunk of what you watch on TV every single day.
The Short Answer: Who Owns The Price is Right Today?
Right now, The Price is Right is owned by Fremantle.
That’s a name you might recognize from the end credits of roughly half the shows on television. They are a British-based multinational television production and distribution company. But even that isn't the "top" of the food chain. Fremantle is actually a subsidiary of the RTL Group, which is a massive European media giant. And if you want to go even deeper down the rabbit hole? The RTL Group is mostly owned by Bertelsmann, a German media conglomerate that has been around since the 1830s.
It’s corporate nesting dolls.
Honestly, it’s wild to think that a show where people guess the price of a jar of pickles is ultimately controlled by a centuries-old German power player. But that’s the modern media landscape for you. Everything is connected.
How We Got Here: The Mark Goodson and Bill Todman Era
You can't talk about who owns The Price is Right without talking about the legends: Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. These guys were the undisputed kings of the game show world. They didn't just create this show; they built an empire that included Family Feud, Match Game, and What's My Line?.
The original version of the show actually started way back in 1956 with Bill Cullen as the host. It looked nothing like the neon-soaked party we see today. It was more formal. Polite. When that version went off the air, Goodson and Todman retooled it. They brought it back in 1972 with Bob Barker, and that’s when the magic happened.
For decades, Goodson-Todman Productions owned the show outright. It was a private company. They held the keys to the castle. But Bill Todman passed away in 1979, and eventually, Mark Goodson passed in 1992. That’s when things started to shift.
The Sale to All American Television
After Mark Goodson died, his heirs eventually decided to sell the massive library of game shows. In 1995, a company called All American Television bought Goodson-Todman Productions. This was a huge deal at the time—about $50 million. People were worried. Would they change the show? Would they mess with the formula?
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They didn't. They knew they had a goldmine.
But All American didn't stay the owner for long. In the late 90s, the media world was in a frenzy of mergers and acquisitions. All American was swallowed up by Pearson PLC, a British company mostly known for educational publishing. They created a division called Pearson Television.
The Birth of Fremantle
This is where the name we know today finally enters the picture. In 2001, Pearson Television merged with several other European media entities to form what we now call FremantleMedia (now just Fremantle).
Fremantle didn't just want The Price is Right. They wanted the whole "IP"—intellectual property—of the Goodson-Todman library. They realized that game shows are incredibly valuable because they are "format" shows. You can sell the "format" to other countries. That’s why there’s a version of The Price is Right in the UK, Australia, Mexico, and dozens of other places. Fremantle owns all of those rights.
They are the ones who handle the licensing, the branding, and the digital rights. If you see a Price is Right slot machine in Las Vegas? Fremantle gets a cut. If you buy a home version of the board game? Fremantle is behind that deal.
What About CBS?
A lot of people think CBS owns the show. It makes sense, right? It’s been on CBS since 1972.
But CBS is just the broadcaster.
Think of it like a landlord and a tenant. Fremantle is the owner of the "house" (the show), and CBS is the person renting the "house" to show it to the public. CBS pays a licensing fee to Fremantle for the right to air the show on their network. While CBS has a huge say in how the show is promoted and when it airs, they don't actually own the brand itself.
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The Drew Carey Transition and Ownership Stability
When Bob Barker retired in 2007, there was a lot of behind-the-scenes tension about who would take over. Fremantle and the executive producers had to find someone who could keep the ship steady. Choosing Drew Carey was a massive gamble that paid off.
The ownership stayed consistent through this transition. Fremantle provided the backbone. They managed the transition from the old-school Barker era to the more modern, high-energy Carey era without losing the show's soul. They also moved the show from its long-time home at Television City to a new studio in Glendale recently. That move was a big deal. It showed that Fremantle and the production team were willing to invest in the show's future rather than just letting it get dusty.
Misconceptions About Show Ownership
I hear people say all the time that Bob Barker owned the show. He didn't.
He was an Executive Producer for a long time, which gave him an incredible amount of creative control and a very, very large paycheck. But he was an employee of the production company. He didn't own the trademarks or the copyrights.
Another common myth is that the "Prizes" are the owners. People think companies like Ford or KitchenAid own pieces of the show because their products are featured. In reality, those companies often pay for the "product placement" or provide the items at a deep discount for the advertising value. They are sponsors, not owners.
Why Owning This Show is Like Owning an Oil Well
You might wonder why a German conglomerate like Bertelsmann cares about a daytime game show.
The answer is simple: Longevity.
Most TV shows die after three or four years. The Price is Right has been a top performer for over fifty years. It is incredibly cheap to produce compared to a scripted drama like The Last of Us or Stranger Things. There are no expensive actors' trailers (aside from the host), no location scouting, and the "plot" is already written.
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It’s a cash cow.
Fremantle uses the profits from steady hits like this to fund riskier projects. It’s the "safety net" of their entire portfolio.
The Future of Ownership
Could Fremantle ever sell it? Sure. In the world of media, everything is for sale if the price is right (pun intended).
With streamers like Netflix, Amazon, and Apple getting into "unscripted" content, the value of a proven brand like this is skyrocketing. We’ve seen Sony buy up game show libraries, and we’ve seen massive consolidation across the board. However, for now, Fremantle seems very happy with their prize. They’ve successfully transitioned the show into the social media age, with clips of crazy wins going viral on TikTok and YouTube every single week.
Key Takeaways for the Fan or Business Junkie
- Fremantle is the primary owner and producer.
- RTL Group and Bertelsmann are the corporate parents.
- CBS is the broadcast partner, not the owner.
- The Goodson-Todman library is the foundation of the show’s value.
If you’re interested in the business of entertainment, the best thing you can do is start looking at the "end cards" of your favorite shows. You'll start to see patterns. You'll see Fremantle, Banijay, or Sony appear over and over. Understanding who owns the IP helps you understand why some shows get canceled and why others—like this one—seem to live forever.
Keep an eye on the trades like The Hollywood Reporter or Variety. Any time a major merger happens in the media world, the ownership of these "legacy" shows is usually the most important part of the deal. If you want to dive deeper into how these deals are structured, looking into "Format Rights" is a great next step. It’s the secret language of international TV.
Next time you see someone win a new car, just remember: the real winner is the corporate hierarchy in London and Germany making sure that wheel keeps spinning.
Actionable Insights:
- Check the Credits: Next time you watch, look for the Fremantle logo. It’s a reminder of the global nature of modern media.
- Monitor Media Mergers: If you see "RTL Group" or "Bertelsmann" in the news, pay attention. Those shifts affect what stays on your screen.
- Research Format Rights: If you’re a creator, study how Fremantle licenses The Price is Right globally. It is the gold standard for how to scale a simple idea into a multi-billion dollar asset.