Well, virtually all broadcasting here in the US is privatized and done by companies who have a vested interest in providing viewable programming (else they go out of business and are unemployed). I have only lived in major broadcast markets here in the US (San Diego, Los Angeles, Portland, OR) and the clueless get washed out pretty quickly (or never make it to the major markets in the first place.) I'm sure you are correct that the clueless stay on the air longer in smaller markets before being replaced by the more competent. But on-air talent in local news beats digging ditches and there are always people competing for your job. And it is said that local news is the most revenue-generating part of local stations' programming schedule.