Advertisement

Poll: Majority say it isn't government's role to monitor news content

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- A vast majority of U.S. voters say it isn't government's role to monitor the content of news organizations, a Rasmussen Reports survey indicated Tuesday.

Seventy-one percent of likely U.S. voters expressed this view while 18 percent said they think it is the government's job to monitor news content, results indicated. Eleven percent said they weren't sure.

Advertisement

Facing fierce backlash, the Federal Communications Commission has shelved a plan to study whether news media meet the public's "critical information needs."

Seventy-six percent of likely voters said they were somewhat concerned that the FCC's analysis of news content would result in a government effort to control the news media or promote a political agenda and 49 percent said they were very concerned.

Thirty-eight percent said they think the government should require all broadcast outlets to offer equal amount of conservative and liberal political commentary, while 49 percent of voters said they disagreed, results indicated.

Ninety-three percent ranked the U.S. constitutional freedom of the press as important, results indicated.

Results are based on a nationwide survey of 1,000 likely voters conducted Saturday and Sunday. The margin of error is 3 percentage points.

Advertisement

Latest Headlines