What about competition? This factor seems to be missing from the analysis. If you have many companies competing for ad revenue (a la old school TV and radio), are things maybe a little better? (I anticipate pushback re: NPR, PBS, or subscription supported cable. But surely it's worth considering?)
(author) Good point. I'm not sure how competition would net out. If you're the only game in town, you can set the rules. On one hand, you can get away with bad things if you want to. On the other hand, you're less susceptible to competitive pressures so if you want to keep things clean, it might be easier.
