Almost 100 percent of the adult population believe that the freedom of the press is very important or somewhat important, according to results from an independent consulting company.

In March this year, Cabinet announced that they would be cutting advertising in print media, saving $800,000 because they "determined it was not cost-effective or penetrative enough to rely heavily on print advertising in an electronically advanced community".

Government continues to advertise in the Bermuda Sun.

The study was commissioned by this paper following that announcement and was completed by Urban and Associates, Inc an independent media research and consulting company in the US.

Since Government's announcement numerous international media organisations have spoken out against the decision, asking it to change its stance.

They say the withdrawal of state advertising is a tactic around the world used by Governments to try and muzzle a press they believe is hostile.

Organisations which have written objecting to Government's position include the World Association of Newspapers and the World Editors Forum, which represent 18,000 publications across the globe.

According to the Urban Associates study, 95 percent of Bermuda's adult population believe that freedom of the press is "very or somewhat important". Seventy-nine percent alone believe it is very important.