Minnesota State Bar Association

E-Poll

Media and the Law
What do Minnesota lawyers have to say about the fourth estate? Here's what our readers say.*

Other recent surveys | Back to our article on newsgathering | Current Issue

42% Agree
58% Disagree
1. The press has too much freedom to do what it wants in pursuit of a story.

Comments:

The media no longer just reports. They make, they manufacture, they instigate, they sensationalize what now passes as news.

58% Agree
42% Disagree
2. Journalists should be allowed to use hidden cameras in their reporting.

42% Agree
58% Disagree 3. News media should not be allowed to report government secrets that come to journalists' attention.

33% Agree
67% Disagree
4. Broadcasters should be allowed to televise courtroom trials.

Comments:

Televised court proceedings would do a lot to show the public what trials are all about rather than the image of court proceedings as represented on TV today. Courts are not as seen on TV and the public should be given a true picture of the legal process.

33% Agree
67% Disagree 5. News organizations should not be allowed to endorse political candidates. 33% agree, 67% disagree

17% Agree
67% Disagree
16% No Response
6. The First Amendment goes too far in the rights it guarantees. 17% agree, 67% disagree, 16% gave no response

Comments:

The 1st Amendment must be afforded sacrosanct status in a free society. Balancing that is the unfortunate reality that most journalists are idiots or lawyers who couldn't pronounce "res ipsa loquitor."

58% Agree
33% Disagree
9% No Response 7. Journalists should be allowed to keep a news source confidential. 58% agree, 33% disagree, 9% gave no response.

33% Agree
58% Disagree
7% No Response

8. The government should regulate what appears on television. 33% agree, 58% disagree, 7% gave no response.

Comments:

The media is totally out of control.

91% Agree
9% Disagree
9. Journalists should be allowed to investigate the private lives of public figures. 91% agree, 9% disagree

83% Agree
17% Disagree
10.Material published on the Internet should be accorded the same First Amendment protection now accorded to printed materials. 83% agree, 17% disagree.

This poll appeared in the August 2000 print and online versions of Bench & Bar.

	42% Agree 58% Disagree	1. The press has too much freedom to do what it wants in pursuit of a story. Comments: The media no longer just reports. They make, they manufacture, they instigate, they sensationalize what now passes as news.

	58% Agree 42% Disagree	2. Journalists should be allowed to use hidden cameras in their reporting.

	42% Agree 58% Disagree	3. News media should not be allowed to report government secrets that come to journalists' attention.

	33% Agree 67% Disagree	4. Broadcasters should be allowed to televise courtroom trials. Comments: Televised court proceedings would do a lot to show the public what trials are all about rather than the image of court proceedings as represented on TV today. Courts are not as seen on TV and the public should be given a true picture of the legal process.

	33% Agree 67% Disagree	5. News organizations should not be allowed to endorse political candidates. 33% agree, 67% disagree

	17% Agree 67% Disagree 16% No Response	6. The First Amendment goes too far in the rights it guarantees. 17% agree, 67% disagree, 16% gave no response Comments: The 1st Amendment must be afforded sacrosanct status in a free society. Balancing that is the unfortunate reality that most journalists are idiots or lawyers who couldn't pronounce "res ipsa loquitor."

	58% Agree 33% Disagree 9% No Response	7. Journalists should be allowed to keep a news source confidential. 58% agree, 33% disagree, 9% gave no response.

	33% Agree 58% Disagree 7% No Response	8. The government should regulate what appears on television. 33% agree, 58% disagree, 7% gave no response. Comments: The media is totally out of control.

	91% Agree 9% Disagree	9. Journalists should be allowed to investigate the private lives of public figures. 91% agree, 9% disagree

	83% Agree 17% Disagree	10.Material published on the Internet should be accorded the same First Amendment protection now accorded to printed materials. 83% agree, 17% disagree.