As a former reporter/editor, believe me when I tell you that if you found one in 20 ‘professionals’ in the classic sense working as a reporter with integrity, you’d be doing incredibly good. In several years I came across a mere handful out of dozens I had genuine respect for. And most of those also left the business and never looked back out of sheer disgust.
J school turns out people for profit. People go there to push agendas when they get out. Such is the state of the modern reporter.
I have had many encounters with credentialed “reporters”.
I am also familiar with entities like the Poynter Institute.
But as a ray of hope, technology has helped rebirth a new and improved guild.
May God bless them and protect them.