I'm going back and forth on this kind of activity and profit driver. Two points of view (ignoring spam artists and other bad actors): 1. It's bad because it's

I'm going back and forth on this kind of activity and profit driver. Two points of view (ignoring spam artists and other bad actors): 1. It's bad because it's not objective. Reporting organizations tout themselves as objective. Very often in financial reporting, you see a disclaimer: "Author does not have an interest in Company." Having a financial stake in the news biases the author towards findings that support his position, rather than seeking the truth. 2. It's good because it encourages accuracy. In the era of clickbait headlines and mantras of "publish first, verify later", the idea that the author could have something riding on the accuracy of his investigation is appealing. It rewards writers in more than reputation.