ABC Putting Daybreak Online
By Anne Becker -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/17/2007 9:47:00 AM MT
ABC is burning off the extra episodes of Daybreak on ABC.com. The network pulled the show from its schedule in mid-December after it suffered poor ratings over seven episodes. Now those seven and the remaining six will be available for fans on the network's website.
The seven episodes that aired on ABC will begin streaming online by Jan. 29, along with first three unaired episodes. The fourth unaired episode posts Feb. 5, the fifth on Feb. 11 and the sixth on Feb. 19.
Networks used to burn off episodes of failed series during the summer, but are increasingly doing it on their ad supported websites, capitalizing on online ad dollars and letting fans of the show see the remaining episodes sooner. In November, for example, CBS and Warner Bros. burned off the four unaired episodes of yanked drama Smith on CBS' broadband site, Innertube.
ABC was able to make the show after resolving an online music rights issue, which had held up the online launch.
