'State of The First Amendment 2003' Survey Suggests Americans' Support of Fundamental Freedoms Returning to Pre-9/11 Levels 8/1/2003
From: Gene Policinski of the First Amendment Center, 615-727-1303 or gpolicinski@fac.org WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Americans' support for their First Amendment freedoms -- shaken by the events of Sept. 11, 2001 -- appears to be returning to pre-9/11 levels, according to the annual State of the First Amendment survey, conducted by the First Amendment Center in collaboration with American Journalism Review magazine. "Two years after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., our nation appears to have caught its breath -- and regained some perspective," said Ken Paulson, executive director of the First Amendment Center. "A sense that freedom was an obstacle in the war on terrorism was reflected last year in our annual survey. "While reaction to fear is largely reflexive, the passage of time allows us to be reflective. The 2003 survey shows public support of First Amendment freedoms may be returning to pre-9/11 levels," Paulson said. The State of the First Amendment 2003 survey and an accompanying commentary by Paulson appear in the Aug. 1 issue of American Journalism Review. It is available online at the First Amendment Center's new Web site, http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org and at the magazine's site, http://www.ajr.org. Also, the Discovery Times Channel will air multiple 60-second television commentaries that discuss the survey results. The "interstitials" mark the first collaboration in a new partnership between the Freedom Forum -- the foundation that operates the First Amendment Center -- and the Discovery Times Channel. The commentaries feature Ken Paulson, who also is senior vice president of the Freedom Forum; comedian and activist Janeane Garofalo; and journalist and author Christopher Hitchens. Among the key findings of this year's survey: -- About 60 percent of respondents indicated overall support for First Amendment freedoms, while 34 percent said the First Amendment goes too far. -- 52 percent said media ownership by fewer corporations has meant a decreased number of viewpoints available to the public; 53 percent said the quality of information also has suffered. -- Almost eight in 10 respondents said owners exert substantial influence over news organizations' newsgathering and reporting decisions. Only 4 percent said they believed there is no tampering with story selection or play. -- 54 percent favored maintaining limits on how many radio, television and newspaper outlets may be owned by a single company, but 50 percent opposed any increased regulation. -- 65 percent favored the policy of "embedding" U.S. journalists into individual combat units; 68 percent said the news media did an excellent or good job in covering the war in Iraq. -- 48 percent said they believe Americans have too little access to information about the federal government's efforts to combat terrorism -- up from 40 percent last year. - About 55 percent of those surveyed opposed a constitutional amendment to ban flag-burning, up from 51 percent in 2002. The annual State of the First Amendment survey, conducted since 1997 by the Center for Survey Research & Analysis at the University of Connecticut, examines public attitudes toward freedom of speech, press, religion and the rights of assembly and petition. The survey was done this year in partnership with American Journalism Review magazine. The national survey of 1,000 respondents was conducted by telephone between June 3 and June 15, 2003. The sampling error is plus-or-minus 3 percent. Copies of all of the annual State of the First Amendment surveys, along with commentaries by Ken Paulson and an annual analysis by the University of Connecticut, are available on the Web at www.firstamendmentcenter.org. Issues of AJR are available at www.ajr.org. Printed copies of the survey can be obtained from the First Amendment Center, with a written request to "State of the First Amendment 2003," First Amendment Center, 1207 18th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212. The First Amendment Center works to preserve and protect First Amendment freedoms through information and education. The center serves as a forum for the study and exploration of free-expression issues, including freedom of speech, of the press and of religion, the right to assemble and petition the government. The First Amendment Center, with offices at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and Arlington, Va., is an operating program of the Freedom Forum and is associated with the Newseum. American Journalism Review is a national magazine that covers all aspects of print, television, radio and online media. The magazine, which is published six times a year, examines how the media cover specific stories and broader coverage trends. AJR analyzes ethical dilemmas in the field and monitors the impact of technology on how journalism is practiced and on the final product. The magazine is owned by the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. The Discovery Times Channel (http://www.discovery.com/times) combines the authority of The New York Times with the programming excellence of Discovery Communications to bring viewers groundbreaking documentary series and specials that shed light on the historical roots and tell the stories behind the events and ideas shaping our times. The Discovery Times Channel is available to 29 million subscribers in the United States and is a joint venture between The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT) and Discovery Communications, Inc. (DCI), the leading global real-world media and entertainment company. For more information on: -- The "State of the First Amendment 2003" survey or the First Amendment Center, or to arrange interviews regarding the survey report, contact: Gene Policinski, 615-727-1303; gpolicinski@fac.org; -- The Freedom Forum, the Discovery Times Channel and the new partnership, contact: Michael Fetters, Freedom Forum, 703-253-7103 or mfetters@freedomforum.org; or Reenie Kuhlman, Discovery Times Channel, 240-662-2937; reenie_kuhlman@discovery.com. ------ Specific links to the 2003 report, posted at http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org are: -- Ken Paulson commentary: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/commentary.aspx?id=11772 -- Survey: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/about.aspx?item=state_of_First_Amendment_2003 |