tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34249799.post8982692339855063980..comments2024-03-29T16:58:01.576+13:00Comments on AmeriNZ Blog: More survey nonsenseArthur Schenckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568299067544221996noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34249799.post-20757248491099025862010-03-17T23:03:38.945+13:002010-03-17T23:03:38.945+13:00Nik: Exactly. I've written a couple posts abou...<b>Nik: </b>Exactly. I've written a couple posts about one polling organisation in NZ—always reported as if it's true and news—whose polls are worthless. As bad as polls can be in the US, I can't recall writing a similarly critical post about any of them.<br /><br /><b>Mark: </b>Yes, very depressing. I downloaded the MP3, btw. Radio New Zealand's "Mediawatch" has covered similar subjects (there's a link under "Parade of Podcasts", because it's available as a podcast).<br /><br />I see that Crikey covers drug company's "influence" over health reporting, and it's something I've been critical about, too.<br /><br />Oh, and this has nothing to do with anything, but I love the way designed their report.Arthur Schenckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10568299067544221996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34249799.post-27215549084310378122010-03-16T22:44:27.772+13:002010-03-16T22:44:27.772+13:00This is a very interesting item on ABC Radio Natio...This is a very interesting item on ABC Radio National tonight<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2010/s2847626.htm" rel="nofollow">Journalism just a PR exercise?</a><br /><br /><br />Is rather depressing reading - original is here on <a href="http://www.crikey.com.au/spinning-the-media/" rel="nofollow">crikey</a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16785579831802952735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34249799.post-53734852579653906492010-03-16T22:43:24.105+13:002010-03-16T22:43:24.105+13:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16785579831802952735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34249799.post-7716117939167456232010-03-14T16:59:25.831+13:002010-03-14T16:59:25.831+13:00Of course now the Herald's picked it up and sh...Of course now the Herald's picked it up and shouted it to the rooftops too. Polls in general are dodgy but the ones down here are as weak as any I've seen I think.Nikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08817525516356141103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34249799.post-45986630409209263342010-03-14T15:09:14.239+13:002010-03-14T15:09:14.239+13:00Roger: That's often been true here, with headl...<b>Roger: </b>That's often been true here, with headlines written by sub-editors. Many of those positions have been eliminated as part of downsizing, or outsourced. That's part of the problem. See also next reply…<br /><br /><b>Mark: </b>For a very long time I've criticised journalism for what you're getting at in point one: Journalists are taught to be journalists, and that's it. I believe they should be required to have a good generalist education first—heavy emphasis on history, social science, science, statistics. I'm dreaming, I know, but I think it's almost unreasonable to expect journalists to understand things they've never been taught. What I'm really saying is that major news organisations ought to have SOMEONE who can correctly interpret statistics.<br /><br />And you're also right in your second point. For example, New Zealand's sub-editing work is being outsourced to Australia, which has issues of its own. Newsrooms are short-staffed making real research harder to do (there's not enough time). But, again, if they just had people to be subject experts (like having one person who understands statistics) would improve the situation.Arthur Schenckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10568299067544221996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34249799.post-65897739397275784502010-03-14T12:07:23.928+13:002010-03-14T12:07:23.928+13:00There is really two problems at play here:
1) Jou...There is really two problems at play here:<br /><br />1) Journalists arent trained in understanding what the polls mean and for that matter nor are the pollsters - they often have other motivations.<br /><br />2) News media around the world have had their newsrooms shrunk and the journalists just don't have time to investigate - just do a quick google search (actually some don't even do that)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16785579831802952735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34249799.post-29080461711631242382010-03-14T05:15:44.176+13:002010-03-14T05:15:44.176+13:00Don't know i it's true in NZ - heck, I don...Don't know i it's true in NZ - heck, I don't even know if it's true online in the US - but the headline writer in US print newspapers often has nothing to do with the story writer. And more often than you'd imagine, I have difficulty with the headline vis a vis the story.Roger Owen Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05298172138307632062noreply@blogger.com