Very good points. Reminds me of the DeBeers-sourced "average cost of engagement ring" and the auto-industry's "average cost of new car" figures. It also takes advantage of the colloquial interpretation of "average" as meaning "normal". I think it all comes down to the endemic "journalism by press release" nature of a large portion of news media. But good journalism costs a lot of money, and the public is generally reluctant to pay for it in these relatively low importance subjects. That leaves the playing heavily tilted toward industries that are willing to spend to push their own narratives.
