There is half-hour programming of news, as well as detailed coverage on a separate cable channel for each of the cable networks. As the cable news networks expand, both with their points of view (CNN seemingly more left-of-center than Fox) the daily viewer totals of network news is diminishing which is causing some retrenchment in expenditures and news bureaus in order to hold down network expenses, while cable networks seem to have alliances with overseas as well as local programmers and advertisers to maintain financial leverage.

Network News- its peak and slow decline

Following World War II and the transition from radio news to television news, CBS maintained the highest levels with its Edward R. Murrow-staffed personalities- Eric Sevareid, Charles Collingwood, Douglas Edwards, and then Walter Cronkite, who maintained the greatest "trust" of American viewers. CBS' decline is measured from Cronkite's retirement, and NBC with its Huntley-Brinkley team became the news leader in evening news time. For some years following the breakup of this team, the three networks paraded a number of personalities to anchor their evening news programs- Dan Ra

No author listed: "Evening Network News Neilsen Ratings"

Fox is also raiding its competitors for "personalities", including CNN's legal expert, Greta Van Susteren, while CNN has hired Paula Zahn from Fox and has signed Connie Chung, whose contract at ABC was not renewed. Still Fox (as well as CNN) news is not as personality-driven as the major networks. Viewers watch evening news not because of a network, but because they prefer the personality, Brokaw, Jennings, or Rather. The events of recent months have created more news junkies, and they are the ones who watch cable news more often.