“The goal is to sell the newspapers snd/or make you listen or watch the news shows.”
Perhaps in the past this was the case, but of late, the media has abandoned their own financial interests to accept the position of Democrat propaganda factory. They gladly ignore “if it bleeds, it leads” when it’s a Democrat’s doing the bleeding.
I grant you there can be a political motivation.
That’s been there from the very beginning - the Jefferson-Hamilton feud done by proxy through their newspapers are good early examples! Here facts were given out mostly by accident if at all. Later there were Whig newspapers & Democrat newspapers they all slanted the news their own political way. They still had to get you to read them, so they still sensationalized everything. “If it bleeds It leads!” was still the primary method to get your attention & your money! Horace Greeley, & William Randolph Hearst to name a few were the preening prancing Acostas of their day. All convinced of their moral & intellectual superiority over all Americans who weren’t them or in their inner circle!
Again skepticism by the reader, watcher, listener is what’s necessary! If it’s too good to be true it is! If it violates common sense, it’s nonsense! Everyone & everything has an agenda and desires to manipulate you even if it just to separate you from your money (Which 9/10 times is ultimately the case!)! Just always be aware of that fact!