One of the consequences of the profit motive in the news media is that the "newsworthiness" of a news item becomes dependent on its

Potential entertainment value.

Explanation:

This is one of the consequences of the profit motive in the news media. The fact that the news business operates as a system for profit means that the "newsworthiness" of a news item becomes dependent on its potential entertainment value. Only news items that are considered "entertaining" are allowed, as these are the ones that would most likely attract a large audience.

d.

the northwest territory became the most densely populated area in the u.s.