Well, you’re wrong.
They get all their money from the advertising cost of consumer spending. All welfare, and most other government spending, is a government subsidy of consumer spending.
IE: it’s money in their pockets.
Democrats advance government spending.
Now a wise man once said he can tell where a man got his opinions by where that man got his ‘money’.
And he was right. You should heed Mark Twain.
The problem with your argument is that it applies to everything. Virtually everyone gets money from consumer spending, one way or another. Yes, government subsidies encourage consumer spending in some ways, and discourage it in others. Because govenment tends to be quite wasteful, there would likely be more consumer spending with smaller government, not less.
Much of the old media is failing, not getting enough money to survive, because they put agenda over money. CNN and MSNBC could put on conservatives, and gain audience, but the will not, because it does not promote the agenda.
Money is far from the most potent motivator, especially once survival is ensured.