I'm slightly concerned that this may be going into "no politics" territory.
Will see how it plays out. Please try to keep it civil :)
I was a big fan of HBOs Newsroom, which basically presented the opposite scenario of a fictitious news organization that decided to air real news again, so I'll just say this is a subject of particular interest to me.
I think right off the bat it's extremely telling that the concept of broadcasting real news is so alien that it makes a good premise for a fictional show :)
The first season in particular I found to be absolutely brilliant until public outcries of it being biased caused it to be nerfed severely. Was still interesting afterwards, but that first season...
That was the very first scene of the first season. My jaw almost hit the floor when I saw it, and I was instantly hooked.
As for the article you linked about CNN and paid content, it is of course horrific, but I can't say it's at all surprising. I'm not sure if they were ever in the news rather than entertainment business, and they certainly haven't been since FOX showed up as competition. My personal opinion on it is that CNN has about as much to do with news as the History Channel does with actual history :)
On what I believe to be a related note, if you're interested in watching something rather stunning that highlights the difference between the past and now, try watching this:
I watched it a little while ago due to my interest in space exploration and it brought tears to me eyes thinking of the impossibility of a modern politician speaking with such eloquence due to not wanting to look like an "intellectual".