Why isn't Lost starting until Feb?

It can't be the writers strike

Apparently they already have 8 (1/2 the season) completed. They started production in August before the writers strike. The production of the last 8 stopped because of the strike.

At the end of season 3, the producers decided that they would only have 3 more season, each with only 16 episodes. They also decided that they were going to run them without interruption and reruns starting midseason (February).

However with this writers strike, it is rumored that Lost may not start in February any more. Apparently there is a preview for season 4 airing in movie theaters and posted to You Tube.

This strike could be a long one, so it would be foolish of ABC not to run the 8. There are only so many reruns and reality shows viewers are going to put up with. I know I watch a lot less tv. I know my tv will not be used much given the forecast of all the new reality tv shows planned for the new year.

Apparently they (the producers?) want to run all the episodes back to back to back. We'll still get a full season, it'll just start later and run without any repeats in between.

the short answer is that abc wants to make as much $$$ from the show as possible

Each yr the networks have "Sweeps" this is when the Ratings really count- the Ratings from the Sweeps determine the amount of $$ the networks can charge Advertisers for running their Ads during a show or timeslot-- the higher the Ratings the more they can charge for those ads-- it's all about making the most $$$$$
The sweeps are Feb/May/ and Nov-- so ABC saves Lost which is a very popular show to start and End during those Ratings Sweeps- it starts in Feb and ends in may-- Fox does the same thing with American Idol--

i heard on tv that there not going to have any breaks in between episodes...but it doesnt really explain it all that well...maybe it will be playing in the summer to

cause it takes a long time to write and make the episodes.