A premiere date for Lost is apparently still up in the air.  Mediaweek has reported that for the time being ABC  Entertainment President Steven McPherson has no plans of changing the mid-season Wednesday night lineup that currently consists of Pushing Daisies, Private Practice, and Dirty Sexy Money.  According to the industry watchdogs at Mediaweek, ABC is trying to become the first network in 25 years to maintain a solid block of new programming for the entire season with the three shows.  This means Lost's time slot is, once again, an unknown.  At least the first place the public will see Lost's fourth season premiere is no longer a surprise.

Barring strikes, natural catastrophes, and just plain old scheduling fickleness, I'm told by sources at ABC that Lost will play to a public audience at the Sunset on the Beach festival in Waikiki the first Saturday in February. Lost has debuted in public at the festival since the beginning, though this premiere is a little different. Ordinarily, the festival is closed in February due to the colder weather. Lost, however, will not be denied. Further details will become available as the date grows nearer.

Typically Sunset on the Beach precedes the broadcast premiere of Lost by a couple of days to a week, however what day in particular is a matter that is still up for debate. On the question of Lost's lack of a home McPherson told Mediaweek that if ABC sticks with the current Wednesday night lineup then Lost will become a “Wildcard Asset.”

If ABC's obsession with keeping the current lineup holds fast, Lost's new home is likely to be on Monday or Tuesday night. Monday would be 8pm, while Tuesday would put Lost up against FOX's House. A Monday night slot would spell trouble for the upcoming Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.


- Jon Lachonis, BuddyTV Senior Writer
Source: Mediaweek
(Image courtesy of ABC)