Public Opposed To Taxes Propping Up Traditional News Media

Public's Opposed

A new RASMUSSEN REPORTS poll shows a majority of Americans oppose tax schemes to provide public financial support to the newspaper industry and "traditional" news media.  

The poll asked respondents about various proposals in the recent FTC draft study that controversially proposed taxes and fees to raise money for traditional news media, and found that 84% oppose a 3% cell phone tax, 76% oppose a 5% tax on computers, iPADS, and KINDLES, and 74% oppose taxing online news websites to redirect revenue to struggling news organizations.

The FTC's draft report, taking the perspective that newspapers need to receive public assistance to survive, also proposed a spectrum tax of about 7% to raise money for the fund, with the trade-off that broadcasters would be relieved of public interest obligations.  Another proposal would tax advertising 2%.

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