• by Wayne Friedman , August 16, 2007

In order to streamline its Internet presence among station affiliates, Fox will make its MyFox Web platform available to more than 160 local Fox stations' Web sites.

Since last summer, the MyFox Web format--in part a riff of its popular MySpace social networking area--had only been available to the 24 Fox owned-and-operated stations.

MyFox will be customized and managed for each affiliate by the Fox Interactive Media (FIM) group. The MyFox platform will uniformly offer programming and news, and provide a common technical backbone for each local affiliates site.

When it comes to streaming video of Fox TV shows, this deal builds on the previously signed agreement between the Fox affiliate board and the Fox on Demand service. The agreement, struck in February, signed up more than 50 stations that allow viewers to stream various shows, including "24," "Hell's Kitchen" and "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?"

Fox on Demand is part of the MyFox Web platform. Stations can opt to continue with the Fox on Demand effort or take the entire MyFox format. Right now, Fox has signed 15 affiliates for MyFox, and another 24 are committed to adopting it.

In earlier Internet video deals with its affiliates, Fox stations receive 12.5% of all advertising and user fee revenues in their specific market--if a prime-time show runs on digital screens after its network play. This percentage will jump to 25% if a show runs digitally before running on the network.

Fox did not disclose financial terms for the MyFox Web platform deals.