Censorship

During a conversation last night, a media sales rep told me that he/she lost their account with a government agency after one of his/her on-air talent broadcasted disparaging remarks about that government agency's actions, and as a result the agency pulled their advertising contract with the media outlet. "[The medium] is about making money," he/she retorted after I challenged the ethics of that government agency.

So, should mainstream media outlets - print, TV, radio, mobile, online - censor their coverage of a crisis or performance because they might lose advertising dollars? If this is what drives what is newsworthy and how an event is covered, there is a fundamental conflict of interest with corporate media, driven solely by profit and sponsorship.

How can Americans remain informed otherwise? What alternative news outlets are there for Americans to make an informed analysis?