Opinion Poll Data Mispresented by Some Media Outlets, NDI

On March 27 the U.S. National Democratic Institute (NDI) released a statement refuting itself being the source of information for the political party ratings reported by some media outlets.

NDI’s recent public opinion survey was the main topic of Georgian media for March 27. NDI conducts similar surveys periodically without publishing its results but delivering the outcome to the political parties afterwards providing the information to media outlets.

The Rustavi 2 morning newscast Kurieri (10:00) report on political party ratings released on behalf of NDI I is not true, NDI asserts.

The percentage distribution (87%, 10% and 3%) of the data provided in the TV story fails to correspond to the poll results, reads NDI letter.
According to the TV report the ruling National Movement party has 87% of support, followed by Ivanishvili-led opposition coalition with 10%.

NDI also responded to the Pirweli news agency reports published on its web.

On March 26 the agency, based on unofficial source, reported that according to the NDI opinion poll survey on political parties the National Movement rating in Tbilisi is low. The same agency on March 27 informed that according to NDI survey, in particular trust ranking to particular persons, the Patriarch of Georgia is followed by Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili. NDI denies being the source of the given data, moreover the information fails to correspond to the results of the survey.

Today, Giorgi Laperasvili, Rustavi 2 news service producer responded to NDI’s statement. In his letter to the organization Giorgi Laperashvili points out that Anuka Kinkladze, the anchor of the morning newscast made a mistake reading 87% instead of 47%.

“But we would like to point out in the previous as well as following  news programs the given number was correctly reported,” writes Laperashvili in response.

He thereby clarifies that the TV news on the political party ratings was not based on NDI data, but the reports provided by news agencies.

“Once again we would like to confirm we are ready to release, at your option, the data officially provided by you, the way it happens in other cases,” Rustavi 2’s news service producer pints out.

Media.ge