Solutions to Circulation Woes?: Free Expression as Predictor of News Seeking

Abstract

This experiment found exposure study of expression increases news seeking and newspaper readership. Since 1973, confidence in major institutions -- except mass media -- has declined only slightly. A special report from Roper Center for Public Opinion Research challenges notion of declining social capital in America and suggests that confidence in press alone has shown a consistent decline since early 1970s.(1) Given this disparity, perhaps newspapers are suffering not from generalized civic disengagement but from citizen disgust at free expression that too often is filled with hate, racism and indecency.(2) Declining confidence in press is most noticeable among those who are more educated, more conservative and more Republican, who also are more likely be disillusioned by and disenfranchised from press. At same time, editors' concern with declining newspaper penetration has become virtually a commonplace.(3) Abundant academic and industry research into declining newspaper circulation has found that newspapers disproportionately fail attract people who are low in education or income, rural, non-white, uninvolved, younger than 35, recently relocated and female.(4) Nonreaders also are more likely be less interested in political and civic affairs than readers.(5) Because industry sins of omission and commission play a major role in distancing readers, industry actions may attract new and returning readers. For example, when Jeremy Lipschultz examined reasons for nonreadership, he found nonreaders questioned newspaper readability, credibility and utility.(6) Ethicist and media critic Sissela Bok has said press faces a crisis of credibility.(7) In response, American Society of Newspaper Editors sponsored a 1998 study examining erosion of newspaper credibility as a primary source of declining readership.(8) But according Stephan Russ-Wohl, proper response such concerns is to strengthen and diversify existing network of institutions and initiatives that help maintain and improve journalistic standards. Such institutions and initiatives [should] sustain discourse regarding journalism and media.(9) This study, however, seeks determine whether discourse designed improve newspaper circulation also should encompass discussion of value of free expression. The underlying thesis is that if non-readership is a symptom of disillusionment with free expression, then readership might be improved by increasing understanding of and interest in First Amendment values. This thesis rests on assumption that support of free speech and free press can be increased through education about free-expression issues and values. For, as ACLU President Nadine Strossen has said, biggest threat civil liberties is apathy and ignorance. Strossen further said: Ultimately, if people are not concerned and committed about their rights, we're going have elected officials who trample over those rights, with nobody stand up and defend them when they appoint judges who will not enforce Constitution and other legal guarantees of rights.(10) Indeed, a 1997 Freedom Forum survey found that most Americans do not believe in freedom of speech.(11) According survey, people from all points on political and religious spectrum embrace a flaccid and utterly meaningless definition of ... expressive freedom [as] support [for] freedom of speech for only speech that I agree deserves freedom.(12) Attempts find source of this disaffection often lead media blaming.(13) A 1997 report by media critic Stephen Bates found that the strained bond between press and public is a modern media crisis.(14) In his exploration of media, power and entitlement in America, David Protess found that media rarely and only peripherally involve or affect public. …