REACH:

549,000 - DAYTIME

858,000 - PRIME TIME

Average number of viewers during the third quarter

CNN's Web site, www.cnn.com, was viewed by 23.6 million unique visitors in August.

NICHE:

A reputation for top-notch foreign correspondents including Christiane Amanpour (above), a knack for breaking news and 26 years of gravitas.

PERSONALITIES:

LARRY KING has the No. 1 show on the network and No. 6 on cable news overall. In terms of bookings, King, 72, can get "the get." Lou Dobbs, lately the unofficial media voice for immigration reform, is No. 2 for the network. Wolf Blitzer made his bones during the first Gulf War and now hosts "The Situation Room" in the afternoon. Commentator Jack Cafferty is Blitzer's curmudgeonly foil. Soledad O'Brien is a popular, perky morning personality, and Anderson Cooper is the flak-jacketed field reporter whose Hurricane Katrina coverage made him an even bigger star.

POTSHOTS ABOUT CNN:

Roger Ailes, Fox News chief: "I watched CNN for a week before I went on, and I kept trying to wake myself up. I kept nodding off, and I realized they are biased, they are boring, they looked like a network that has never had any competition." (Associated Press, Sept. 29)

Former CNN host Tucker Carlson, now on MSNBC, slamming CNN star reporter Anderson Cooper: "You're either Ed Murrow, or you're Pat O'Brien from 'The Insider.' Pick one." ("Tucker," July 10)

FOX NEWS

REACH:

896,000 DAYTIME

1,500,000 PRIME TIME

Average number of viewers during the third quarter

Fox News' Web site, www.foxnews.com, was viewed by 7 million unique visitors in August.

NICHE:

A corrective for those who suspect a widespread liberal bias in other news coverage. Its flashy graphics and "Fox News Alerts" may often be parodied, but they are often copied, as well.

PERSONALITIES:

Ratings don't lie: BILL O'REILLY is the undisputed king of cable news personalities. Sean Hannity, co-host of the liberal-versus-conservative debate show "Hannity & Colmes" (with Alan Colmes), is the likely prince. "Big Story" host John Gibson vies with O'Reilly as the network's most fierce culture warrior, particularly when he's soldiering against the annual "War on Christmas." Crusty Brit Hume and congenial Shepard Smith are popular nighttime anchors. Greta Van Susteren moved over from CNN, and her 10 p.m. "On the Record" show focuses on crime stories such as the Natalee Holloway disappearance and the Duke lacrosse rape investigation.

POTSHOTS ABOUT FOX NEWS:

Keith Olbermann of MSNBC on Bill O'Reilly: "The Sideshow Bob of commentators, forever stepping on the same rake." ("Countdown," June 1)

Jack Wakschlag, CNN's senior vice president of research: "Fox News' audience spends a lot of time with Fox. And they'll spend a lot of time just watching TV. They're people with a lot of time on their hands." (Interview, Oct. 3)

MSNBC

REACH:

264,000 DAYTIME

368,000 PRIME TIME

Average number of viewers during the third quarter

MSNBC's Web site, www.msnbc.com, was viewed by 26.7 million unique visitors in August.

NICHE

Niche? After 10 years, third-ranked MSNBC is still looking for one. The nighttime "Doc Block" of mostly crime-themed documentaries sets it apart, and its election-season coverage is tireless.

PERSONALITIES:

A public feud with Fox News rival Bill O'Reilly has made "Countdown" host KEITH OLBERMANN, a hero to Fox News haters. Olbermann's recent 10-minute anti-war and anti-Bush "Special Comment" segments have been a sensation on YouTube. Chris Matthews' high-energy "Hardball" continues to be an important show for MSNBC, particularly during election seasons. Tucker Carlson moved from CNN to MSNBC and scored the late-afternoon show "Tucker," which repeats at 6 p.m. Former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough hosts "Scarborough Country" opposite Fox's "Hannity & Colmes" and offers a slightly more toned-down style of debate.

POTSHOTS ABOUT MSNBC:

Bill O'Reilly of Fox News during a "Talking Points" segment that refers to MSNBC nemesis Keith Olbermann: " 'Talking Points' is troubled by the behavior of NBC, which 'cheap shots' FOX News on a regular basis and has been doing so for some time." ("The O'Reilly Factor," Jan. 30)

Jack Wakschlag, senior vice president of research at CNN: "CNN doesn't really look at MSNBC as a competitor." (Interview, Oct. 3)