var intFadeInTime = 600;
var intFadeOutTime = 600;
var intShowWait = 8000;
var intCurrentNewsItem = 1;
var intNewsItems = 5;

function getNextSpan(intCurrent) {
    intNext = intCurrent + 1;
    if (intNext > intNewsItems) {
        var intNext = 1;
    }
    return (intNext);
}

function fadeOutNext() {
    // Don't do anything if there are no news items
    if (intNewsItems > 0) {
        $("#divChangeMe_" + intCurrentNewsItem).fadeOut(intFadeOutTime, function () {
            // Fade in the next item
            intCurrentNewsItem = getNextSpan(intCurrentNewsItem);
            $("#divChangeMe_" + intCurrentNewsItem).fadeIn(intFadeInTime, function () {
                setTimeout(function () { fadeOutNext() }, intShowWait);
            });
        });
    }

}

$(document).ready(function () {
    setTimeout(function () { fadeOutNext() }, intShowWait);
});