With soap operas that have lasted for generations leaving the air, Oprah announcing her departure in 2011, and ratings for other long-running daytime shows dropping, the broadcast networks are facing a difficult time during the time of day that once generated their greatest profits. "Viewership in daytime is down, and it's also unfortunately happening at a time of economic downturn. So the combination of the two makes it pretty difficult in the daytime arena," Bill Carroll, vice president of Katz Television Group, told USA Today. To counter the ratings decline -- and the concomitant decline in advertiser revenue -- networks are cutting costs on the shows that remain, particularly soap operas, where stars have been forced to take salary cuts, Lynn Leahey, editorial director of Soap Opera Digest and Soap Opera Weekly. told the newspaper.