Yes, the competition for attention used to be at the level of the whole newspaper, or the whole magazine. Now the attention competition is at the article level

Yes, the competition for attention used to be at the level of the whole newspaper, or the whole magazine. Now the attention competition is at the article level, and the headline is near the top of the funnel. To not be subjected to (as much of) this insanity, you can use a smart aggregator like HN or a well-moderated subreddit.