Media Research

1. Media Research • The time: 1932 • The place: Iowa • Event: Election of Sect’y of State • Who: Ola Babcock Miller • George Gallop’s Mother-In-Law • FIRST POLITICAL POLL

2. The Surveying Industry • $1 billion dollar a year business • Gallup -Institute of American Public Opinion • Now about 300 surveying companies • Clients: corporations, candidates, media

3. Gallop’s Method at first • “quota sampling” • 1936 Presidential Campaign • He predicted FDR’s victory over Alf Landon • 1948 Dewey lost to Truman & Gallop realized that he was 5.3% off in his prediction.

4. Quota Sampling • Determine total population • Determine key groups • Sample groups proportionately

5. Quota sampling example • Total population 100,000 • Urban males 40,000 • Urban females 30,000 • Rural males 15,000 • Rural females 12,000 Others 3,000

6. Gallop’s New MethodProbability Sampling • “like making soup” • Four Factors: • sample size • sample selection • margin of error • confidence level

7. Sample Selection • Magic number = 384 • Total population being studied = n • “Interval” = n / 384 Examples top of p. 328 10,000 students / 384 = every 26th student (interval)

8. Probability SamplingKey Variables • Sample size • The number of people interviewed • Sample selection • How people are drawn to be interviewed • Margin of error • Percentage survey may be off mark • Confidence level • Degree of certainty about accuracy

9. Evaluating Surveys Associated Press Checklist • How many people interviewed? • How were they selected? • When was survey taken? • What was margin of error? • How was poll conducted? • Mail? Phone? Door to door? • How were questions worded? • What was the question sequence?

10. Population Size Infinity 500,000 100,000 50,000 10,000 5,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 Sample Size 384 384 383 381 370 357 341 322 278 Sample Size for 95% Confidence Level

11. For population size Sample Size 384 600 1,067 2,401 9,605 of infinity: Margin of Error 5% points 4% points 3% points 2% points 1% point Margin of Error for Various Sample Sizes

12. Criticisms of Polling • Polls can influence undecided voters – Bandwagon effect • Politicians watch the polls too much, rather than just doing what’s right.

13. Gallup’s reply “George Gallop, who died in 1984… (replied that)…good surveys give voice to the ‘inarticulate minority’ that legislators otherwise might not hear.”

14. Measuring Audience Size • Print media – Audit Bureau of Circulations • Broadcast media – audience surveys interviews diaries meters

15. Broadcast ratings • Began in 1929 – Archibald Cross, radio • 1940’s – Nielsen – demographics: age and gender groups • 1950’s Nielson moved into TV ratings

16. TV ratings- 2 scales • “rating” - % of TV households viewing a show • “share” - % of households with a TV set turned on • Study the sample Nielsen report in the text.

17. Audience Analysis • Demographics – developed in the 1930’s by Gallup, Crossley, and others • Cohort Analysis – the generations • Geodemographics – Zip code markets • Psychographics – VALS Values & Life Styles