The Hiatus sounds long, but let's face it in regular television once december hits most of the programs are in reuns or replaced with various Christmas programming. Besides extended hiatus has worked for Fox who pre-empted it's entire schedule for a month for baseball. It's also worked for the Soprano's, 24, and American Idol. Lost will get its audience back.
The producers have also promised some webisodes, and other treats to tide the diehead fans over.
Last years argument was that their were too many reruns. So this seems to fix that criticism.
As for other stunts reguarding Lost? I don't know what your refering to.