There is only one objective of TV news: maximize ratings and thus ad revenue.

I got wind of this during the 2002 Iraq war propaganda. I had been watching TV news and reading newspapers before then. But I noticed a notable lack of any dissent about the war on TV. Even a stupid 22 year old such as myself could see through the flimsy reasons for going to war. So why didn't the TV people get it? Why were they spreading propaganda all day long?

There was only one reason: war is lucrative for ratings. There would be months of blowing things up, and all eyes on the screen. Since most Americans get their news from TV, this  created the consent for the war that is still destroying the middle east.