Where are the results of opinion polls published and are they reported accurately?
A13 The findings from opinion polls are most commonly published in newspapers and are broadcast on television and radio shows, and on the internet. The media is often selective with the results they choose to publish, tending to use one chosen pollster for all their opinion figures, and it is impossible for a researcher to avoid editorial judgement. However, the full text of the questions asked by a pollster and methodological details must be available on request to any serious enquirer. Since the formation of the British Polling Council, and coinciding with the 2005 General Election, all pollsters have also agreed to make detailed data from their polls available on their websites or on request. As with all professional market research studies, the sample size, interviewing method and fieldwork dates of the poll must be published with the findings to enable the audience to gain a fair understanding of the findings.
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