Cable News

The development of cable news networks in the United States began with the launch of the Cable News Network (CNN) on June 1, 1980. Although CNN and its later competitors took years to gain a strong foothold in the U.S. broadcast news market, by the 1990s, the cable news channels or networks had become significant and powerful media organizations as viewership declined or stagnated for the evening news reports of the broadcasting networks (NBC, CBS, and ABC).

Cable news channels focus on news coverage all day, every day. In addition to breaking news reports, these channels often broadcast shows devoted to commentary, especially regarding politics, as well as longer specials or documentaries, some of which blur the lines between entertainment or advocacy and journalism. The networks ...