July Fourth Celebration Too Commercial?

The Harris Survey

For Release: Monday AM, June 30th, 1986 1986 .38 ISSN 0273-1037

JULY FOURTH CELEBRATION TOO COMMERCIAL?

By Louis Barris Although a big 81 percent of the American people express interest in the July .th Statue of Liberty Celebration, under the surface the American people have a number of reservations about the event. It will not be just an all-out flood tide of patriotic ~~ti~n.li.z d~ri"~ this ne:t W~~~. Here are some of the criticisms of the celebration and on the way it has been handled, according to a national cross section of 1,250 adults interviewed by telephone between June 11th and 16th in a recent Barris Survey: -- By 49-43 percent, a plurality nationwide go along with the criticiam that -the celebration has been made too commercial with corporations trying to get too much publicity for helping pay for restoring the Statue of Liberty. Following the plan that was devised to pay for the u.S. participation in the 198. Olympics, the committee in charge of the event has designated special sponsors who in turn have contributed major sums of money. These sponsors then have advertised their sponsor role, presumably to get public credit for their good works. In addition, the television rights to the event were sold exclusively to ABC Television, which caused much uproar. This kind of commercial association with such patriotic events apparently now is beginning to arouse some reservations and criticism from the pUblic itself. -- In addition, by only the narrowest of margins, 47-.6 percent, a plurality of the American public does not agree with the criticism that -because the Statue of Liberty is a national monument, the cost of restoring it should have been paid for by the federal government and not big business and private individuals.- The practice of having the private sector pay for such national events has grown during the Reagan years. The assumption has been that most would rather have such public functions paid for by the private sector than by the government. In the case of the statue of Liberty, it is evident that roughly half the public disagrees with that notion. -- By 53-32 percent, a clear majority goes along with the criticiam that such celebrations as the one this weekend -take the country's mind off problems like 'i~i~t ~~~ t~~ ~c~el~ss ~n ~~ic~ u~r~ li~tlp iF being done.- The American people simply will not accept such patriotic bashes if they take away from the national focus on tne problems the nation faces. Indeed, that is why events which concentrate on problems such as starvation, the homeless, and other conditions of deprivation have consistently met with an overwhelming outpouring of human emotion. Of course, most Americans would like to enjoy the Statue of Liberty spectacular this week:

-- By 82-12 percent, a big majority agree that -as a nation founded by immigrants from many countries, it is right to have a national celebration to honor them. -- By another big majority, 74-21 percent, three in every four people also go along with the sentiment that -it gives you a real up feeling to hear, see, and participate in all the patriotic talk and fanfare.

(over) THE HARRIS SURVEY -2- June 30th, 1986

It is evident from these results that the pUblic wants to have a good old fashioned and patriotic Fourth of July celebration this week, centering on the Statue of Liberty. The unease they might express about the sponsorship, commercialism, the payment for the event, the hope that it is not a way to take attention away from other serious problems, all will not prevent most Americans from having fun. Indeed, when asked directly what they intend to do over this Fourth of JUly weekend, 4 percent say they will attend the event in New York City, 16 percent will go to another celebration of the Fourth in person, and 47 percent say they will watch the Statue of Liberty bash on TV. But, another 40 percent say they will just plain relax over the holiday and do other things. For them, other and more personal indulgences will take over. Bowever, 51 percent will be absorbed in the New York City celebration. One person connected with the event, Lee Iacocca, the head of Chrysler, and head of the Statue of Liberty Committee, comes up with a 69-14 percent positive rating on the way he has handled his task. TAB L E S Between June 11th and 16th, the Barris Survey asked a nationwide cross section of 1,250 adults by telephone: -Bow interested would you say you are in the Statue of Liberty celebration that will take place on the Fourth of JUly -- very interested, somewhat interested, not very interested, or not interested at all? INTEREST IN THE STATUE OF LIBERTY CELEBRATION .1 **Interested 81 Not interested 18 Not sure 1

**Interested = Very interested and somewhat interested Not interested = Not very interested and not interested at all -Now let me read you some statements about the statue of Liberty celebration. For each, tell me if you agree or disagree. STATEMENTS ON THE STATUE OF LIBERTY CELEBRATION

Disagree %

POSITIVE STATEMENTS As a nation founded by immigrants from many countries, it is right to have a national celebration to honor them 82 12 6 It gives you a real up feeling to hear, see, and participate in all the patriotic talk and fanfare 74 21 5 NEGATIVE STATEMENTS The celebration has been made too commercial with corporations trying to get too much publicity for helping pay for restoring the Statue of Liberty 49 43 8 Because the Statue of Liberty is a national monument, the cost of restoring it should have been paid for by the federal government and not by big business and private individuals 46 47 7 (continued) THE HARRIS SURVEY -3- June 30th, 1986

-Some people like patriotic celebrations such as the Statue of Liberty weekend coming up because they say it's time to speak up for America. Others say such celebrations take the country's mind off problems like hunger and the homeless on which very little is being done. If you had to choose, who do you think is more right -- those who want a big patriotic celebration or those who say the country should come to grips with some real issues like hunger? STATUE OF LIBERTY WEEKEND -- A CELEBRATION TO TAKE COUNTRY'S MIND OFF PROBLEMS? .1 Big patriotic celebration 32 Face real issues 53 Nei ther (vo.l s ) 1 Both (vol.) :iu Not sure 4 -How would you rate the job Lee Iaccoca, the head of Chrysler, has done as chairman of the Statue of Liberty celebration -- excellent, pretty good, only fair, or poor? IACCOCA JOB RATING

1 **Positive 69 Negative 14 Not sure 17 **Positive = Excellent and pretty good Negative = Only fair and poor -This Fourth of July weekend, will you personally be visiting the celebration in New York, attending another celebration, watching it on national TV, or just relaxing and taking the weekend off to do other things?- (MULTIPLE RECORD) VARIOUS WAYS OF SPENDING FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND

Attend N.Y. celebration 4 Attend other celebration 16 Watch on TV 47 Just relax 40 Not sure 6 MET HOD 0 LOG Y This Harris Survey was conducted by telephone within the United states between June 11th and 16th, among a cross section of 1,250 adults nationwide. Figures for age, sex, race and education were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. In a sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a statistical precision of plus or minus three percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult population had been polled. This statement conforms to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on PUblic Polls.