Methodological trends and controversies in the media’s use of opinion polls

Abstract

Polls have been an integral part of news coverage for more than 200 years, although scientific polls have been in use for only the last eight decades. Pollsters and news organizations have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship over this time period because of the interest of the pollsters in promoting their commercial business and the interest of news organizations in enhancing their coverage. Over time, polling itself has undergone a number of methodological advances that produced distinctive shifts in how polls are conducted, analyzed and presented. But this marriage of convenience has not been without its problems, often producing controversies in the conduct of the polls and how the media report them.