Can Bad Polls Drive Out Good?

TO MUCH of the media, a poll is a poll is a poll. “Newsworthiness,” not quality or accuracy, determines which polls get reported. Here are some points to watch out for.

1. An unexpected poll finding is more surprising, and hence more “newsworthy,” than one that confirms what other polls also report. Bad (i.e., inaccurate) polls are more likely to be surprising and therefore more likely to be reported.

HT

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Humphrey Taylor

TO MUCH of the media, a poll is a poll is a poll. “Newsworthiness,” not quality or accuracy, determines which polls get reported. Here are some points to watch out for.

1. An unexpected poll finding is more surprising, and hence more “newsworthy,” than one that confirms what other polls also report. Bad (i.e., inaccurate) polls are more likely to be surprising and therefore more likely to be reported.