Just added to the growing list of things Americans say they won’t support with their hard-earned dollars: newspapers.
Less than a week after President Obama said he “would be happy to look at” legislation that would bail out the dying newspaper industry, Sacred Heart University — a Catholic institution in Fairfield, Conn. — released a poll showing eight of ten people do not support the idea of a government bail out. That is, if they have to pay taxes for it.
The poll also found 45 percent of its respondents said they think the internet is “adequately covering for failing newspapers,” and that only 55.9 percent expect the media to tell the truth.
On a more positive note, 64.1 percent of respondents said they think good journalism ensured a “healthy democracy,” kind of like daily vitamins or twice yearly doctor appointments for the government’s well-being. But, given that many Americans don’t even want to pay taxes for their own health care, we’re not really shocked they won’t spring for a newspaper’s.
