I think there are two other elements of ethical journalism not mentioned here, and both are _totally_ missing from today’s journalism.
(1) Don’t use the same sources over and over. Have sources that disagree with each other so that multiple views are represented in the story. Don’t just find the Democratic view and the Republican view—find _multiple_ views, the real world is not binary. Go beyond the obvious—don’t use the same sources other reporters are using. Find new ones—find truly independent sources. Don’t forget to talk to the “little people” in any organization, not just the PR flaks or the bosses. Promise them confidentiality if the organization forbids talking to reporters. (That means you have to develop a history of honesty and trustworthiness—otherwise no independent source will put their meal ticket at risk talking to you.)
(2) Research truly new stories—develop _real_ expertise on subject matters that interest you. Do independent research—and find out who is lying on the subject and why they are lying.