Journalism as passionate advocacy for things actually believed in is far older than journalism as a product. Paying more for a journalism "product" doesn't magically make it not propaganda. I'd say the opposite happens - that journalism as product incentivizes outlets to pander to the audience to increase circulation, without regard to the truthfulness of the content. High-"quality" commercial journalism is clickbait, because what's rewarded is circulation. not degree of accuracy.
The problem is that journalism product crowds out (and delegitimatizes, intentionally, as competition) honest advocacy.
The problem is that journalism product crowds out (and delegitimatizes, intentionally, as competition) honest advocacy.