There are companies that act as data brokers for other parties and there's also companies like Nielsen which buys media consumption data in bulk. It's not just about the ads.

It's also about the way in which to split the pie. (how much should go to this creator?)

Or consumer profiling. (It seems our product is enjoyed by men in their mid 40s who like sci-fi)

Or marketing research (it seems our product sells the most in winter).

There's plenty of ways to make use of this data. That's why it's so valuable. It's not uncommon to see 7 digit contracts for high profile news/gossip outlets, for example.