Of course, these days it's often supplemented by stuff like Patreon and separate sponsorship deals.
Another person of interest here might be Jim Sterling of The Jimquisition, since AFAIK his main income is through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimquisition
Sterling doesn't take ad revenue of any kind, as a point of principle. It's a key part of his appeal - his independence as a journalist is unimpeachable, because he's funded solely by fans.
Of course, these days it's often supplemented by stuff like Patreon and separate sponsorship deals.
Another person of interest here might be Jim Sterling of The Jimquisition, since AFAIK his main income is through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimquisition