P.M. BRIEFING : CNN Pondering Evening Newscast

Cable News Network today said it is considering an evening newscast to compete directly with the big three TV networks.

The idea under consideration calls for a newscast at 6 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. “to go head to head with the networks,” and CNN anchorman Bernard Shaw would have a role on the program, CNN spokesman Steve Haworth said.

But, he said, CNN officials haven’t made a final determination of whether a frontal assault on Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings and Dan Rather would be a good idea.

The proposal calls for a half-hour, stand-alone newscast, unlike CNN’s virtually 24-hour, all-news format, in which the news is continuously updated.