TV programs are lures designed to deliver an audience to advertisers.

The early evening news (5 - 6 p.m.) attracts a high percentage of older adults who don't stay up for the late evening news (10 - 11 p.m.). Advertisers know, by demographic studies, that relatively few young people watch the news.

Thus, in the early evening news, a great number of ads appear for products for the common pains and aches of aging: for "relief" products such as pills and powders and pastes for slipping dentures, insomnia, heartburn, upset stomachs, graying hair, and baldness. Also, for certain luxury acquisitions: expensive cars, jewelry, cruises.("You can't take it with you!")

Today, some issues related to the increased influence of commercial advertising on TV news are:
-- the rigid time limits (news can be cut to fit, but not ads);
-- the sandwiching of ads between news segments (which leads to oversimplifying issues);
-- the silent censorship, the omission of news likely to displease the sponsors or the audience;
-- and changing the emphasis from hard news to soft news, to a chatty "happy talk," pleasant and smiling entertainment, often called "infotainment," with lots of "human interest" stories, so as not to lose an audience.