I do believe ethics and standards matter - at all times - firmly. And I do not absolve any journalist of that responsibility to his/her industry and the public they serve.
But the reality is, many journalists only serve themselves, and such is the cut-throat, bankrupt industry these days (most media organisations still haven't found a way to make money online), few new journos receive proper training like they used to, while other, more experienced journos just don't have the time and resources they are expected to have to do their job properly.
Sound familiar? You could apply the same to another industry I'm thinking of.
Yes, there are lazy journos who hurt not only themselves and the industry at large, but the general public, victims and families as well.
But so do lazy pilots . . .