At a conference for investigative reporters, a small group of us circled up and compared notes. We all agreed it’s getting worse. Several years ago, I began trying to think of ways that our profession could address its problem. How can we install firewalls that keep us separate from corporate and political interests that may seek to improperly sway us? When news executives are lobbied by the advertising division, corporate bosses or outside interests, they could simply point to policies that don’t allow them to engage outside a carefully set-forth process. Corporate executives above the news division could do the...