This is, unfortunately, the state of press + CTR revenue model. It feels like the line between long form journalism and reporting has become so blurred that you end up with these bits that are neither a well-researched opinion/story or editorial nor a well-researched news report. Growing up, every week my mum would buy the weekend copy of The Times, The Guardian, and The Scotsman and read them end to end in the afternoon. That's how she formed the basis of her opinions on current events. These days I don't think people have the attention span for this, and I don't think that the web revenue models lend itself to that anyways. Although I hate lots of words, It's damn shame if you ask me.