Some people do it free. Some get paid. Like a lot of things.
When it's an honest opinion, that's one thing.
When the government subverts the freedom of the press necessary for the proper functioning of a democracy, that's another.
That's a concept that's easy for liberals to see. Not easy for the "power at any price", the ends justify the means, freedom is just another name for being able to loot, individuals exist to serve the State and corporations conservative crowd. (Not a bad definition of "conservative", by the way.)
An honest difference in perceptions.
Arf