A study investigated the types of advertisements newspapers refuse as well as the attitudes of advertising managers about guidelines and laws concerning advertising refusal. Newspapers were selected from the "1985 Editor and Publisher Yearbook" using a systematic probability sampling method, and questionnaires were mailed to advertising managers at 150 daily newspapers. Data indicated a tremendous diversity among newspapers regarding their refusal policy. Among the conclusions reached in the study are that southern newspapers tend to be the most conservative newspapers in the country, while southern advertising managers tended to be more conservative with respect to their absolute right to refuse any advertisement in a nonmonopoly situation. Once a policy has been established, written or otherwise, it appears that companies or organizations may not even try to advertise in certain communities. In addition, newspapers want not only to continue the freedom of refusal they now have but also to extend that freedom to broadcasters as well. (Tables of data are included, and 53 footnotes are appended.) (DF)