You don't sell the subject matter. You sell the emotions it expects to generate in the reader. You put the ads designed to be attractive to the person feeling anxious or outraged or amused next to the article that is expected to engender anxiety, outrage or laughs. Fear and anxiety are great ways to shift crappy products. Pepper spray, tasers, alarm systems, funeral planning services would all benefit from your murder story obviously. Financial products for your oil tanker less obviously (specter of war creates worry about finance and movement of capital to 'safe' investments like gold)