Nation's top three news anchors made $37 million in 2006
 In a disclosure that may further portend the movement from news as a public trust to news as a profit engine, a TV Guide study published Tuesday revealed that the top three network news anchors made an estimated $37 million in 2006.
The three -- CBS' Evening News' Katie Couric, NBC's Today co-anchor Matt Lauer and his fellow co-anchor Meredith Viera -- made $15 million, $12 million and $10 million respectively.
Highest paid among television stars was Oprah Winfrey, who earned an estimated $260 million last year.
Simon Cowell, the British harpie of American Idol, raked in $34 million; Judge Judy, $30 million.
An abbreviated list follows.
TOP FIVE (all salaries are per year)
Oprah Winfrey ("The Oprah Winfrey Show"): $260 million
Simon Cowell ("American Idol"): $45 million
Judge Sheindlin ("Judge Judy"): $30 million
Katie Couric ("CBS Evening News Anchor"): $15 million
Zach Braff ("Scrubs"): $6.3 million
NETWORK PRIME TIME (all salaries are per episode)
William Petersen ("CSI"): $500,000
Charlie Sheen ("Two and a Half Men"): $350,000
Mariska Hargitay ("Law & Order: SVU"): $350,000
Chris Meloni ("Law & Order: SVU"): $350,000
Hugh Laurie ("House"): $300,000
Julia Louis-Dreyfus ("New Adventures of Old Christine"): $225,000
Ellen Pompeo ("Grey's Anatomy"): $200,000
Eva Longoria ("Desperate Housewives"): $200,000
DAYTIME (all salaries are per year)
Judge Judy: $30 million
Bob Barker: $10 million
Maury Povich (per year plus profits): $7 million
Ellen DeGeneres: $5 million
Jerry Springer: $3 million - 4 million
Tyra Banks: $3.5 million
NEWS ANCHORS (all salaries are per year)
Katie Couric ("CBS Evening News" anchor): $15 million
Matt Lauer (NBC "Today" co-anchor): $12 million
Meredith Vieira (NBC "Today" co-anchor): $10 million
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