• by David Goetzl , October 25, 2006

The time is rapidly approaching when the following is no longer news: Network opts for online premiere.

Fox brought that day a bit closer Tuesday, when it announced it will make the fourth-season premiere of drama "The OC" available on MySpace.com and the Web sites of its 24 owned-and-operated stations a week before the network launch.

"The OC" debut goes online Thursday in advance of its Nov. 2 premiere.

In keeping with the overall rush to stream shows, the second episode will also be available on MySpace and the local station sites before it comes to prime time.

This fall, networks from NBC to the CW have chosen to debut series online prior to their prime-time launches. The tactic is twofold: It can function as a promotional tool, and as a way to gauge viewer and advertiser demand for on-demand broadband consumption.

Separately, Fox already makes episodes of other series, such as "Prison Break" and "Bones," available on the Web after they air in prime time.