As election 2024 gets underway, one thing is certain: Polling is poised to dominate media coverage for better or worse.
However different polls and methodologies can create misleading results and media narratives that impact voter turnout. Knowing how polling organizations conduct their surveys is a key skill for accurately informing the public as the 2024 election season ramps up. For example, some large polling companies still use the telephone and conduct live interviews; others use an opt-in panel of people to answer questions; some use online polls and robocalls with opt-in samples. Each of these methodologies impacts the quality and accuracy of results.
Learn which polls to trust and which ones to question during a free National Press Club Journalism Institute webinar. Whether you are new to using polls in your reporting or are an experienced journalist looking for a refresher, this conversation is for you.
During the webinar, participants will learn:
- How to spot a well-designed poll (and those that are not)
- To understand how the types of questions asked, people included in the polls, and the poll’s timing will impact a poll’s results
- How to incorporate polling data in ethical, responsible ways
- Tips from political reporters who have used polls in their work for decades