Could you help a journalist's careers in return for coverage?

I've just got off the phone with a seasoned journalist where we were talking about the problem reporters find today or getting back to research in-depth stories. As the media landscape evolves, it raised the question as to whether PR professionals could help in this process but not just by pitching an idea and sitting back but by getting actively involved in helping the journalist's career without compromising their integrity. Let me know what you think. You can reach me on LinkedIn. Details in the episode.