Atlanta, Georgia – Cable News Network (CNN) has announced that it is acquiring the E (Entertainment) Channel and that it is transitioning out of its normal news content.  The announcement came just days after Al Jazeera America debuted on U.S. television sets beginning Tuesday this week.  CNN was apparently threatened by the Qatar-owned international news network that boasts of news bureaus around the world, from the Philippines to South Africa.  Al Jazeera America promised news programming that is less sensational, less opinionated, more in-depth and more accurate.

CNN’s top officials acknowledged that the network cannot compete with the resources and talent that is being brought into the American market by Al Jazeera television.  Additionally ratings after ratings show that the number of CNN viewers in the U.S. have declined over the years, claiming only half the viewership of FOX News which maintains its lead over all the other cable news networks.  CNN is second in ratings, followed by Headline News (HLN) and MSNBC.

On the other hand, CNN has found its niche in entertainment television, as shown by its recent coverage of the George Zimmerman trial and the wait for the arrival of England’s Royal baby.  The network’s ratings also went up each time it covered celebrity gossips — from Lindsay Lohan to Justin Bieber.  CNN also admitted that its political pundits and so-called experts are getting a bit old and tired of doing the same thing, 24 hours a day.

By purchasing the E Channel, CNN expects to recover from its financial losses and gain monopoly of big-time advertisers that usually support Hollywood-type content. CNN is also expected to eventually phase out its sister network, HLN.