36 percent of Republicans think freedom of the press 'does more harm than good'

Some Republicans don&#039;t see the benefit of a free press.

(Image credit: iStock)

published 25 April 2017

A new poll by Vanity Fair and 60 Minutes revealed more than a third of Republicans aren't certain the freedom of the press, protected by the Constitution's First Amendment, is actually a democratic necessity. The poll found that 36 percent of Republicans believe the press' freedom "does more harm than good." Just 13 percent of Democrats said the same.

The majority of Democrats and Republicans, however, do believe in the value of a free press. The poll found that 61 percent of Republicans and 86 percent of Democrats believe freedom of the press is "necessary."

Most Americans are still relying on TV, newspapers, and talk radio as their "most accurate and honest" sources of news, though 8 percent said they depend on Facebook. More Americans said they rely on their mother (6 percent) for accurate news than on President Trump (5 percent).