Is it ethical? Not in my opinion.
I do believe ethics and standards matter - at all times - firmly.
OK so everyone's agreed on that.
But the reality is, many journalists only serve themselves, and such is the cut-throat, bankrupt industry
FGD135 is suspected of being GT because of your second quote. Banter on an anonymous forum can hardly be compared with paid journalism requoted around the world. That needs to be correct.
When one reads or watches 'the news', we expected factual, accurate reporting in the time available. To wildly speculate is human, to print it is not journalism.
I've never subscribed to the idea that news needs to be dumbed down for the lowest common denominator. Educate them.