> And there can't be a really fair counter-view by the journalist because what are they to do, interview a laid-off worker at the business?
Umm, yes? Thats called journalism
They don't have to name people if they can get independent verification from multiple sources (standard was 3, sometimes 2)
Many times your severance comes along with a non-disparagement agreement. And typically the people being laid off don't really have the insight into the operational costs to serve as a counter-point to that argument.
That's not to say the journalists shouldn't try. Having execs pushing their probably false or at least misdirecting narrative in order to control the optics without question or consequence means that they'll continue to operate dishonestly.