Fox’s New Program Strategy Hits Snags : Television: The young network has yet to deliver on the promise of a 52-weeks-a-year fresh programming schedule.

Six months ago, Fox Entertainment Group President Peter Chernin announced that the network was embarking on a 52-week TV programming plan that would give viewers fresh programs year-round and fundamentally change the way that television does business.

After premiering new shows last fall, however, it’s been largely quiet on the Fox front, with the exception of the November debut of the struggling sitcom “Charlie Hoover.”

In fact, viewers will have to wait until March to see any new series on Fox, Chernin said here Tuesday at the annual winter gathering of TV critics, at which the networks tout their midseason programming plans.

Although one of Fox’s stated goals with the 52-week plan was not to be held hostage to the ratings “sweeps” periods, the network said Tuesday that it has scheduled a slew of specials, promotions and stunts clustered around the February sweeps. Among them:

* The sitcom “Roc,” which stars an ensemble of theater-trained actors led by Charles Dutton, will broadcast a live episode Feb. 9.

* Special Valentine’s Day episodes of Thursday night’s “The Simpsons,” “Drexell’s Class” and “Beverly Hills, 90210” will be broadcast on Feb. 13.

* During the entire second week of the Winter Olympics, beginning Feb. 17, Fox will throw its own event, called “Fox Summer Games.” The network will try to draw viewers away from the snow and ice in the French Alps with a spate of summer-themed programs and specials. Comic stuntman “Super” Dave Osborne will host every Fox program that week, culminating in a competition from Hawaii of summer sports such as roller blading and volleyball spiking.

While critics on hand were amused by the goofy “Summer Games” presentation, the slate of special programming overshadowed the fact that Fox had no new series to offer until the spring. Chernin named four comedies that are in the wings:

* “Stand By Your Man,” starring Rosie O’Donnell and Melissa Gilbert-Brinkman, about two sisters whose husbands are in prison.

* “Stray Cats,” about two good-looking men who are college roommates.

* “Down the Shore,” about three men and three women sharing a summer beach house in New Jersey.

* “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” based on the feature film.

When asked why none of these has debuted yet--”Bill & Ted” was once set to go last fall--Chernin said, “When we announced (the 52-week plan), the key strategy was not to launch all at once.”

Chernin said that after the disappointing premiere of “Charlie Hoover,” which stars Sam Kinison as the bite-sized conscience of Tim Matheson, the network decided to wait until after the February sweeps to try again.

The only original programming announced for this month, beyond the ongoing series, was a single broadcast of “Two-Fisted Tales,” the pilot for a series based on a comic book, and the previously announced special episode of “In Living Color” to air opposite the Super Bowl halftime show on Jan. 26.

“I don’t think we’re trying to cover up for a lack of goods. We’re just trying to make our programming more fun and exciting,” Chernin said.

Last summer, Chernin had told the news media that Fox wanted to begin introducing new series throughout the year, avoiding the traditional September frenzy of launching a new prime-time season. He said that the network also intended to order more episodes of existing series. The plan was expected to take two to three years to unfold, he said.

Taking stock of the past six months, Chernin said Tuesday that Fox had succeeded “far beyond our wildest expectations.” He pointed out that the network had increased fall orders for its current series beyond the normal 22-episode orders, and it also got several series off to new starts prior to September. And Fox is rated No. 1 in prime time among viewers between the ages of 18 and 34 and has significantly increased its overall ratings, he maintained.

Chernin conceded, however, that Fox had fallen short in some areas--particularly its plan to expand to another night of programming this month by moving the Friday schedule to Monday and moving the Monday movie block to Wednesdays, where Fox does not have a presence. It subsequently decided to leave Friday intact and not to open a new night of programming.

He expressed disappointment Tuesday in Fox’s movie division, which was supposed to be delivering a new TV film every week. “We have failed to live up to our ambitions,” he said, adding that Fox is reorganizing the department.

The current plan is to add another night of programming this summer and one more shortly thereafter. “The most important thing for this network is to get up to seven nights as quickly as we can,” Chernin said.