Final answer:
Napoleon restricted the freedom of the press to control the narrative and ensure a positive image. He maintained public support through stability and economic improvements, not by promoting political freedoms or open debates.
Step-by-step explanation:
Napoleon limited the freedom of the press to stifle criticism and maintain a positive image, not to promote open debate or because he was confident in his popularity. This censorship allowed him to protect his image by ensuring only favorable information was disseminated. To ensure public contentment, he provided stability and order after the tumult of the 1790s, alongside material benefits like consistent military payment in silver, economic improvements through the creation of the Bank of France, and reinforcing the legal code that provided perceived benefits of the Revolution.