It's never made sense to me that a writer would tell a story that the audience needs to hear - sounds sort of presumptive on the part of the writer. I mean how would you know? But what does make sense, is that the writer would tell the story that they need to tell - have to tell.

YES. That makes sense to me and is honest "This is the story I need to tell." The audience can then decide for themselves if that's the story they need to spend their time on or not. Phrasing it as "what the audience needs" is as you say presumptuous." No one can tell me what I need - or should need, as this critic seems to be attempting.

OTOH - if you're making art or popular/mass entertainment and expect people to spend their time on it, you have to be aware of your audience and their needs/wants; it's a tricky balance I think. A creator looking down their nose at their own audience is a risible as an audience that believes a creator owes it to them to give them exactly what they want.