There has been a lot of selection going on until an article makes it into a newspaper though. The individual writer needs to want to write it, their editor need

There has been a lot of selection going on until an article makes it into a newspaper though. The individual writer needs to want to write it, their editor needs to think it's a good idea, and there are plenty of chances for it to get pulled or rewritten in a major way. "It's just this person's opinion and by chance it landed in The Atlantic" does rarely happen. It doesn't require a conspiracy, of course. I find it much easier to believe that it's essentially pre-chewed stuff a large audience can nod along to. No need for any agenda other than "I want eye balls on my article, and I want lots of them and I want the brains that are attached to share the article because that will get me more eye balls".