WASHINGTON — It's not just big companies and lobbyists that have too much power over politicians. It's also the news media and celebrities, say those who responded to a recent telephone survey.
Two-thirds of Americans who responded to the poll said news organizations have too much power in Washington. That's still much lower than the consensus in 1994, when 79 percent said the media had too much power.
The random telephone survey of 1,010 adults by Harris Interactive found that 93 percent felt small businesses have too little influence.
More than 60 percent of those polled said entertainment and sports celebrities have too much power, followed by trial lawyers, trade associations, labor unions and TV and radio talk shows.
Two-thirds said nonprofit organizations have too little power and influence, and more than half said the same about opinion polls, churches and religious groups and racial minorities.
