Rome's mayor, Gianni Alemanno, told the Associated Press that he would consider public opinion on the statue.

BBC: New statue of Pope John Paul II sparks anger in Rome

The press, largely, is against, and so is public opinion.

ECONOMIST: The single currency

In fact, in 1997, and at a time when public opinion was much more favorable toward the press than it is now, a Harris Poll conducted for the Center for Media and Public Affairs found that 84% of the public favored a government "fairness doctrine" requiring equal treatment of all sides in controversies, while 70% believed that courts should impose fines for "biased or inaccurate" journalism.

FORBES: Magazine Article