I’m ok with advertisements personally. My issue is soley with the tracking. You’re correct that this is how they pay for non paying customers but I’m focused on the morality of that monetization. Staticly inserted advertisments that don’t track you are fine. Like the old newspapers which had a simple advertisement placed there that didn’t watch you back. That’s fine.

I’d be much happier if they paywalled the article, or parts of it.

If the free version isn’t viable without immoral monetization it’s unviable. Don’t do it, or find another way to monitize.