> You're NOT the customer. Advertisers are. They do not make user-hostile decision out of arrogance, indifference or incompetence, they do it to make money.

This is obviously inadequate. Users are the product that are being sold to advertisers, therefore decisions that shed users affect the bottom line. Why would an outlet not fear shedding users even while taking user-hostile decisions?

I'm not offering an answer. But because they’re so dominant is a better answer than ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ for me.