• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, June 16, 2006

ABC isn't the only network that will be streaming hit shows on the Web. Fox plans to offer episodes of shows such as "Prison Break" and "Bones" on the Web sites attached to its owned-and-operated stations.

Fox is in the process of redesigning and re-launching the 25 Web sites affiliated with each of its Fox O&Os, and one of the new features will be streamed episodes of hit shows. Like ABC, the streamed shows will be ad-supported.

Also like ABC, which is in the midst of a two-month test in which it is offering episodes of "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives" on ABC.com, Fox plans to offer the shows on a trial basis.

It's unclear exactly when the shows will be available, although News Corp. President-COO Peter Chernin said Tuesday the initiative would start within the next two weeks. The redesigned Fox sites will be launching throughout the summer--with the first expected to be for Birmingham's WBRC and Los Angeles' KTTV--and all 25 refashioned versions should be in place by the start of the fall season.

Fox is making a big push to turn its fleet of local Web sites into significant revenue generators--as are most station ownership groups--and appears to be using the streamed hit shows as a way to boost traffic.

In addition to "Prison Break" and "Bones," other shows may be offered, but a News Corp. representative said which--if any--has not been determined. Since the new sites will be launching this summer, episodes that have already aired on the network should be used.

One potentially thorny issue is whether Fox will have to share a portion of the ad revenue it generates from the streaming shows with affiliates that it does not own. In April, the network cut a deal entitling affiliates to receive 12.5 percent of the revenue generated from programs repurposed for emerging platforms.

A News Corp. representative was unsure about the relationship between that deal and this initiative.