True, the customer product relation is obvious different now. This is not just advertising (there is no money in that field anymore) it is ownership and funding. But, is seems that news papers has always been used to buy influence and propaganda even 100 years ago. “There is the question of Jewish domination of the press and of other means of public thought.” — 1920, Henry Ford The so-called mainstream press has to large extend always been used to convince people to send their money and children to remote countries to wage wars, against their own interest and form the narrative in the public opinion. Not, news. Not, objective truth or critical thinking or exposure of the people behind the scenes.