tv is all about viewing figures, it has to sell. So the more they show being nice about the rags the more the armchair rags will go back to watching it for comfort reasons. In a nutshell to slag the rags off turns the armchair away from tv.
same for pundits.. if you want to get on tv again ( for your nice wage ) you aren't going to get back on unless you are nice about the rags, if viewings go up as a pundit when you are on, then you are asked to go on again for your pay day.
therefore unless you are a former rag playe like keane / scolesie /camel mouth / Neville ( who then have the right to slag off rags because armchair fans still worship them ) then you talk rags back up to keep viewings up.