FOX, which once upon a time had a reputation of being a cutting-edge network, has decided to chicken out when it comes to making its shows available for download.
While it strikes me that this decision will be short-lived, especially when a Google Video Search on “Family Guy” returns 338 hits, not a single one bringing any revenue to FOX (or Seth MacFarlane, for that matter), but it’s still a bit puzzling. This isn’t a case of counter-programming (like running 24 against The Golden Globes), it’s a case of on the bus or off the bus.
To me, it would make great sense for FOX to take some of their prematurely-canceled shows like Andy Richter Controls the Universe or Action and see if there is a download audience for those. They could have done quite well, perhaps, with making the final shows of Arrested Development available for download at the same time they are burying them by running them against the Olympics. That would be counter-programming.