The question is divisive in terms of skilled and amateurs. We can out code, out post, and outlink these idiots before they get out of bed. That being said, this is the perfect vehicle for folks like us to share and help each other with making the world a little bit better, whatever our motivation, from amends to paying it forward. With a few bucks a month, little training, free tools, an almost flat learning curve, and the help of folks who have gone before, the internet has created an enormous outpouring of news, information and opinion, written by folks who have passion for their subjects and are only constrained by their beliefs and abilities. The rest of your questions I will answer in a group.
Pixels are cheap.
I can write an in depth piece on the subject of my choice and with hyperlinks give You access to the information that I based my piece on. Even with a 56K modem connection I can finish a piece, and upload it, and send you a link in under 3 minutes, not 24 hours, not 1 week, Not monthly, Now. This of course is extremely dangerous as you may follow the hyperlinks and come to a different conclusion and email me to tell me I am an Idiot and full of shit. You may come to like what I write, and always understand that what I write I have checked and give you the research so you can too. I am not constrained by word count, fitting it in between the perfume and clothing ads, or the editors choice of reporting subjects, the advertisers, management, or editorial staff who probably have political considerations and veto power far beyond checking my sentence structure.