85% Say Freedom of the Press More Important Than Helping Newspaper Industry

Thursday, June 10, 2010
Rasmussen Reports
Jun. 10, 2010

Americans continues to oppose government-driven solutions for the newspaper industry's problems in large part because of their concern that they threaten the press' independence.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 85% of Adults believe that maintaining freedom of the press is more important than supporting the newspaper industry. Only six percent (6%) put supporting the newspaper business first.

Just 19% think the government should get actively involved in steps to save the newspaper industry and other forms of traditional journalism. Sixty percent (60%) oppose government involvement in such activities. Twenty-one percent (21%) aren't sure if it's a good idea or not.

Sixty-four percent (64%) of adults say it is at least somewhat likely that if the government provides funding for newspapers to hire journalists, the government will then place limits on what those journalists can cover. That includes 41% who believe it is Very Likely.

Sixty-nine percent (69%) think it at least somewhat likely that a newspaper that receives government funding to hire journalists will avoid criticizing government officials and policies, with 45% who say it is Very Likely. Twenty-three percent (23%) say it's not very or not at all likely that newspapers will avoid such criticism if they get government funding.

Seventy-one percent (71%) oppose a government bailout of the newspaper industry like the ones for the financial sector and the automobile industry, up from 65% in March of last year. Only 14% say a government bailout of the newspaper business is a good idea.

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 6-7, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

A recent study by the Federal Trade Commission of ways to help the newspaper industry includes a proposal for the creation of an Americorps-type program that would hire and pay journalists to work for newspapers around the country. Seventy-one percent (71%) oppose the creation of such a program.

While there is virtually no partisan disagreement over the idea that freedom of the press is more important than supporting the newspaper industry, Democrats are less concerned than Republicans and adults not affiliated with either party about a government role in the newspaper industry.

Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans and 66% of unaffiliateds, for example, oppose active steps by the government to save the newspaper industry. Among Democrats, 31% think government involvement is a good idea, while 42% are opposed and 27% are undecided.

Americans also strongly reject several taxes proposed in the FTC study to help keep privately-owned newpapers going.

While Americans continue to see their local newspapers as more reliable than online news sources, they also have consistently questioned government assistance to keep those papers in business.

In April 2009, 37% favored government subsidies for struggling newspapers, but 43% said it was better to let the papers go out of business.

Last summer, former CBS newsman Dan Rather proposed the creation of a White House commission to help save journalism jobs and find ways for news organizations to survive. Twenty-five percent (25%) liked the idea, but 55% opposed it.