Well, it finally happened. Four weeks after It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia premiered its sixth season on television, 
FX has released the first episode of the season online. The remaining episodes will be released weekly, so every episode of the season will hit the Web on a four episode delay after FX’s television schedule.
Why did FX wait 30 long days before allowing the episodes to air online? Is it because cable networks love to annoy us? Probably, but the more likely story is, as usual, about money. It’s Always Sunny was always a staple for free online programming. In fact, it’s suggested that the series became as popular as it is thanks to its accessibility on the Web. But networks aren’t too impressed by Internet popularity contests; they’re impressed by cash. Unfortunately, free episodes online don’t generate much moolah these days. Fine, but neither do DVR recordings and that’s essentially the same idea, right? Do networks make money when someone watches a pre-recorded episode on their TV any more than they do when someone watches a free episode online?
Frankly, I don’t understand why, if a network is planning on releasing any series online at all, it would choose to hold off for a month. It screws anyone without a DVR who’s trying to watch the series in sequence, it screws anyone without cable, period, and more importantly it screws audiences like the one that helped boost It’s Always Sunny’s notoriety in the first place. I’m no expert, but I’m willing to bet that DVD sales are hardly affected by the delay in the online schedule. Anyone who’s going to buy the DVD is going to buy the DVD, whether or not episodes are released online. Free episodes don’t detract from that because they don’t stay online. Most networks have found a groove that I think works quite well; an episode is available online the day after it airs on television, and up to five of the most recent episodes are available to watch at any given time. When a new episode comes up, the oldest episode comes down, so free episodes are still exclusive enough to incite fans to invest in the entire DVD. Postponing the rotation for 30 days doesn’t really seem to do anything but annoy online audiences.
The sad truth, it seems, is that some cable providers are happy to share their programming for free 
until it becomes popular. It’s a simple concept of supply and demand, but because online viewing is such a new frontier, a network’s inconsistency to deliver what has come to be expected flat-out alienates its online following.
FX has become increasingly hesitant to post episodes soon after they air on television. Their most recently added shows, like Louie and Terriers, are coming online as soon as 8 days after they air, but The League, which is only in its second season, waited a full 30 days before it hit the Web and it’s not nearly as successful as It’s Always Sunny or Sons of Anarchy, which were also on a 30 day hold. So where’s the logic?
The bottom line is that the Internet is never going to make money for networks when networks are confusing viewers about show availability. The only way to make money through ad revenue online is to appeal to the online audience. FX might just be shooting itself in the foot here. The more networks waffle over their Web content, the smaller the chance that anyone will get hooked on their online offering. The more people get hooked on online material, the more likely it is that they’ll be willing to pay for it one day. When a network flips the script too often everybody loses.
So what say you, Always Sunny fans? How did this 30 day hold affect your Always Sunny attendance this season? Are you ready to rally for a sooner return next season?
