Throwing Spaghetti Against the Wall to See What Sticks

Filed in archive Internet TV on September 15, 2006

To catch this season's must-see TV debuts, TVs appear to be optional. Indeed, every major network is experimenting with the web as an alternative distribution channel. But if you think a business model is emerging, forget about it this year. Ad supported or ad free, streamed on sibling websites or on partner portals, the networks are throwing every imaginable mix against the wall to see what sticks.

NBC is debuting "Friday Night Lights" and "30 Rock" on NBCFirstLook.com one week before their broadcast debuts. NBC is also working with AOL to premiere "Twenty Good Years" and "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" online a week before their broadcast debuts. But the Peacock Network is up for dancing with anyone at this party, and went with Yahoo to premiere another new drama, "Heroes."

CBS also liked Yahoo as a partner, and will preview new series "Jericho" on the portal. This week three shows are available on Google Video free of charge -- the pilot episodes of "Smith" and "The Class," along with the season opener of "The New Adventures of Old Christine," are available for streaming on-demand and without commercials until Sept. 17.

New network the CW went with MSN to stream "Runaway," "Everybody Hates Chris" and "Veronica Mars" early, while Fox is using its Fox Interactive sibling websites, such as MySpace and IGN, to stream the first seven minutes of the season premiere of "The Simpsons."

And networks aren't limiting their experimentation to portal deals, either. CBS, for instance, has teamed up with TiVo so that subscribers can watch the pilot episode of "The Class" a week before it airs on TV. The pilot also comes with a package of clips from CBS's other new shows -- "Jericho," "Smith" and "Shark." In addition, CBS is now offering pilot episodes of "The Class" and "Shark" aboard American Airlines as part of an "Eye on America" in-flight programming partnership. ABC, meanwhile, is giving away 1 million free downloads of last season's finales of "desperate housewives," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Lost" on Apple's iTunes.

OK, you got all that? Now pour yourself a good stiff drink, and read about why marketers are paying attention to all that.