Many people just buy any newspaper because of the main headlines, time of year, sporting occasions etc etc. Very few of us know how news and newspapers work. I dont claim to know everything about the newspapers either, but I am au fait with some of the workings.
Newspapers deal with Dáil Éireann bigtime because the news is already there. A TD asks a "Dail Question" - it can be any question e.g. when will Toureendohenybeg receive Galtee Mountain water?" - The DQ is prepared and two weeks before the TD asks the question, the answer is on his desk. Of course, it appears that the DQ was asked and answered on a particular day. The newspapers are onto this caper also.
Birth, Deaths, Weddings are always news items. Somebody is interested. So much the better if a picture appears.
We all know Sport is a conversation starter. The newspapers screw sport to death. Why wouldn't they?
Then there is the funny season i.e. when most journalists, reporters, hacks etc are on holidays (July/August). The Dáil is not sitting, news is scarce. Therefore, a story written many months before appears on the newspaper. Some ambulance, bus, bike, van, lorry driver is suddenly caterpulted onto the headlines for something that happened the previous February. But, the punter thinks it happened yesterday.
Who says there is full truth in the news. People are quoted, misquoted, set-up, asked leading questions, interviewed while drunk, interviewed leaving a brothel or something when their guard is down. Suddenly, we have a scoop.
Paper does not refuse ink. Reporters will report. Journalists will investigate (we hope) - people are in want of news; we need newspapers and they need us.
There are probably many other scenarios which lead people to buy newspapers. But, I think if you know what you are buying and why you are halfway there in understanding newspapers.