Sure. They're dependent on the number of hits each story gets, and that is something they follow very closely. It often gets to be a news item in itself, - how many hits one particular juicy online story gets and the increase when major stories break, etc.
One thing this tragedy has made clear to me, is how massive the tabloid/celebrity gossip industry really is. I admit I've followed links to a number of sites I'd never heard of before (and won't revisit, to be sure) and I've seen the front pages of a number of magazines I didn't know about... and it's all bla bla Britney Brangelina Suri Heath bla bla. No wonder there are so many paps. I can't imagine how the stars manage to live with this without going completely bonkers. No wonder Jake Gyllenhaal is keeping out of sight (mostly).
It's obviously a tough game of survival of the sleaziest gossip sites out there.