-Caveat Lector-
"We The People" are so ignorant it hurts.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 02 Jul 1999 22:59:37 -0400
From: Jay A <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Press is more ethical and less biased ?
Paulson says that in fact, the press is more ethical and less
biased than ever.
07/02/99- Updated 03:53 PM ET
Poll: Less support for freedom of the press
By Tony Mauro, USA TODAY
ARLINGTON, Va. - On the eve of the Fourth of July weekend, a new
nationwide opinion poll shows a sharp erosion of public support
for press freedom and an unchanged level of enthusiasm for
outlawing desecration of the American flag.
The poll, released Friday by the Freedom Forum, a pro-First
Amendment foundation, indicates that 53% of respondents think the
press has too much freedom in this country, up from 38% in 1997.
Seventy-four percent of respondents think people should not be
allowed to burn the American flag, but only 51% think the
Constitution should be
amended to prohibit it, up 2 percentage points from 1997.
The telephone poll of 1,001 adults in February and March has a
sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points.
According to the survey, nearly two-thirds of the public thinks
the press should not be allowed to probe the private lives of
public officials. And shrinking numbers of respondents think the
news media should be allowed to endorse political candidates,
report government secrets or use hidden cameras.
"Freedom of the press has been synonymous in the public's mind
for the last two years with Monica and Bill and Princess Di and
Marv Albert," says Ken Paulson of the Freedom Forum's First
Amendment Center. "It's time for the best qualities of American
journalism to come to the fore."
Paulson says that in fact, the press is more ethical and less
biased than ever. "There's a great disconnect here."
Media lawyer Bruce Sanford, author of Don't Shoot the Messenger,
a new book on public attitudes toward the media, says, "The
public is so angry at the media these days that we are beginning
to blind ourselves to the biggest threat, which is not the media
but government regulation."
The news media have brought much of the criticism on themselves,
conservative columnist Armstrong Williams says. "The face of
American journalism has changed from that of a stony-faced,
dispassionate anchor to two sides screaming at each other." He
said the press has lost its image as a champion of the people.
The poll found a few bright spots for the media, however. The
percentage of those who think that Internet speech enjoys the
same protection as the printed press went up from 56% two years
ago to 64%. Support for broadcast coverage of courts including
the Supreme Court also rose, compared with 1997.
On religious freedom, also guaranteed by the First Amendment,
nearly two-thirds of respondents said public school teachers
should be allowed to lead prayers in school.
Many people polled showed little knowledge about First Amendment
freedoms. Forty-nine percent could not name any of the rights
guaranteed by the First Amendment.
Once reminded that it protects freedom of the press, speech,
religion, assembly and petition, two-thirds of respondents said
the First Amendment does not go too far.
"A poll like this shows the worst of the problems of the First
Amendment," said Carole Shields of the liberal organization
People for the American Way. "But when people really consider
these issues, we come out OK."
=================================================================
Kaddish, Kaddish, Kaddish, YHVH, TZEVAOT
FROM THE DESK OF: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
*Mike Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
~~~~~~~~ <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends
Shalom, A Salaam Aleikum, and to all, A Good Day.
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