Advance sneak peeks

The fall TV season has yet to begin, but that isn’t stopping the networks from unveiling some new shows early.

CBS this week started streaming the pilot for the sitcom “Big Bang Theory” online, and is showing both “Bang” and soapy drama “Cane” on American Airlines flights for an estimated audience of 4 million captive passengers.

CW will stream its new sitcom “Aliens in America” and family drama “Life Is Wild” on Yahoo, eight days before their scheduled premieres on Oct. 1 and 7, respectively.

And NBC’s new dramas are everywhere. “Chuck,” “Journeyman” and “Life” are being streamed on Yahoo, MSN and AOL, respectively, starting a week before their late-September openers.

They can also be rented for free at Blockbuster, downloaded at Amazon (though not iTunes) and, with fourth newcomer “Bionic Woman,” seen on-demand through 39 cable systems.

Sampling isn’t new, but networks are spreading around their wares. Fox chose “K-Ville,” a buddy-cop drama set in post-Katrina New Orleans, because of concerns the show is exploiting the 2005 tragedy.

“We didn’t want people to think it was all about the hurricane,” says William Bradford, senior VP of content strategy.

CBS streamed three dramas last year but found that shorter “comedy stuff plays so much better” and is more likely to be viewed in full, says marketing chief George Schweitzer.

The advance peeks help networks build exposure for the 28 new series vying for attention this fall. But they also risk draining viewership from the important premiere week.

Some network executives insist the number of viewers online and on other platforms is not yet large enough to affect Nielsen ratings significantly.

“It tends to enhance the viewing; it doesn’t cannibalize,” NBC’s John Miller says.

ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson disagrees.

“If you want to try and sell Coca-Cola, do you go around the country giving away cases to families?” McPherson says. “No, you give away a can or a free taste or a coupon.

“We like to market our stuff and give people a compelling look at why they should watch.”