Abstract

AMADEO, Belén  and  TESIO, María Eugenia. Publishing Survey Results. Researchers’ and Journalists’ Guidelines and Habits. Rev. mex. opinión pública [online]. 2019, n.27, pp.95-114.  Epub Aug 30, 2019. ISSN 2448-4911.  https://doi.org/10.22201/fcpys.24484911e.2019.27.68367.

The present work seeks to analyze the coverage the Argentine newspapers La Nación, Página 12 and Clarín made of electoral surveys in 2015. The research explains the reasons why the ESOMAR/WAPOR publication guidelines were not respected, despite the strong relevance the media gave to electoral polls. The article also considers why the polls were used to back journalists’ and politicians’ ideas rather than to convey unbiassed electoral information to the public. None of these coverages show solid differences among the newspapers, therefore the political or ideological ideas of the editors do not explain the treatment the media gave the polls in question. The key resides in the professionalization of the journalists and in their relationship with those who design and make the public opinion polls.

Keywords : Polls; elections; mass media; journalists; consultants; technical o data sheet.