Early Premiere for ABC pair

'Housewives' to see Teuton bow Oct. 14, 'Lost' preems Oct. 6

By ELIZABETH GUIDER

Two of ABC's new fall dramas --"Desperate Housewives' and "Lost" -- have been licensed by the Mouse House to Germany's paybox Premiere -- and in a novel twist, they will air just days after their U.S. premiere.

The unusual deal will be unveiled in London today by Tom Toumazis, senior VP and managing director of Disney unit Buena Vista Intl. TV. Head of programming Rainer Ingber negotiated for Premiere.

No financial terms were made available.

Under the agreement, "Desperate Housewives" will be broadcast on Premiere Oct. 14 (Stateside debut is skedded for Oct. 3) and "Lost" will air on Premiere Oct. 6 (Sept. 22 in the U.S.). Both series will be broadcast in English on the Teutonic paybox.

"To work with Premiere to license these series for such an early broadcast on pay TV in Germany is a pioneering and exciting move for us," Toumazis said.

Both series were first pitched to foreign broadcasters at the L.A. Screenings in late May.

Agreement follows Warner Bros.' sale of the sitcoms "Joey" and "Two and a Half Men" to Channel Five in the U.K.