Criticism that the press ignores positive stories and focuses solely on salacious stories neglects to consider that the press must make a profit to survive. Because of the need to make a profit, the press must focus on stories that will draw an audience. The only alternative to a profit-driven press is a government-supported press. A government-supported press would have pressure to curtail any critique of the government, thereby limiting the power of the press.
The power of the press comes from its ability to critique the government can properly be inferred from the passage.