I didn't read your full post and I'm sorry for that
The concept of paying for the consumption of someone's work is not something new.
In the past before the internet we bought newspapers and what not. Then we were given news for free. From what I can remember when advertising money substituted subscription of news the rise of sensationalist reporting also rose.
I think the rise of fake news and all the BS pieces are a direct result of the advertising monies because how else do you drive traffic into "free" news media sites.
I also think that with the rise in subscription would lead to the start of the end for sensationalist news proliferating or daily lives.