If the only value of media is to make you look in its direction for long enough to show you something else that you might actually spend money on, it actually has no value at all.

And I suppose adding, "...while keeping you informed about what's happening in the world" or "...while entertaining you" wouldn't matter to you, would it?

If it has significant value to people, it can find a way of getting money from the people it provides value to.