The vast majority of people in Bermuda — more than 90 percent — consider the freedom of the press to be important, according to a new survey commissioned by The Royal Gazette.

Three-quarters of people questioned on the issue by researchers said they considered it to be very important and 18 percent said it was somewhat important. Just five percent considered it not very important, two percent not at all important and one percent did not know or gave no answer.

The statistics — based on a telephone poll of 404 people conducted in March — are revealed on the eve of World Press Freedom Day, an event organised by UNESCO on May 3 each year to promote the importance of an unshackled fourth estate in a democracy.

This newspaper commissioned research company Total Marketing and Communications to ask a series of questions about the press and news reporting in the first quarterly Bermuda Omnibus Survey of 2008.

The survey was conducted between March 11 and 24 — before it was revealed that Government had decided to axe all its advertising and subscriptions with this newspaper in what editor Bill Zuill has claimed is a punishment for our A Right To Know: Giving People Power campaign.

Government insists its decision to stop doing business with The Royal Gazette is to cut costs and is part of a move away from print and toward electronic media.

The results of the study reveal that 85 percent of people agree with the A Right to Know campaign, which calls for public access to information legislation and more government transparency.

Just over half of those questioned said they strongly agreed with A Right to Know, 34 percent generally agreed with it, six percent generally disagreed, six percent strongly disagreed and two percent did not know or gave no answer.

Ninety two percent of those polled agreed that the media should report any questionable actions by elected officials, with seven percent disagreeing.

Sixty four percent of residents supported the introduction of a press council — as proposed by Government in this year's Throne Speech — to regulate newspapers.

The survey has a margin of error of plus and minus 4.9 percent.

* We want to know your views on press freedom? Email arighttoknow@royalgazette.bm.