Journalism: “Election Too Close To Call”
The media’s pre-election coverage was a bit disconnected from the reality on the ground.
The day before the election, media said the “election [is] too close to call” but the day after, we see that the election was decisive.
The day before the election:
According to the latest UK public opinion poll, the Conservatives’ previous 9-point lead ahead of Labour has waned to just 5 points — opening up the distinct possibility of a hung parliament.
Citing late-breaking polling data, the U.K. Telegraph is currently deeming today’s General Election “too close to call.” A final poll conducted by the Telegraph on Wednesday evening showed roughly 41% support for the Conservatives and 35% for Labour. Although this is still a considerable margin, reporters at the Telegraph claim the election’s outcome sits “on a knife’s edge.”
Source: Telegraph: “Election Too Close To Call” – Forex News by FX Leaders
The day after the election, it was not close at all:
The Conservatives won 365 seats in the House of Commons, versus 203 for the Labour Party, according to the official results. That would give the Conservatives about a 75-seat majority, their largest since that amassed by Margaret Thatcher in 1987.
Conservatives Win Commanding Majority in U.K. Vote: ‘Brexit Will Happen’
This is followed by media “analysis” explaining why the voters are wrong (or something): Analysis: Britain’s ‘strange’ vote, won by Boris Johnson, heralds American-style ‘shift’
And if that doesn’t explain it for you, there is always the bogeyman theory: Suspected Russian hand in UK election serves as warning to US for 2020
As we have written in this blog, before, polls are themselves a form of propaganda. Many polls ask people’s opinions on subjects about which they know little – and thus are measuring the effectiveness of earlier propaganda on a subject.
Polls are themselves a form of propaganda too. Publicizing the results of a poll can influence undecided voters.
Some times poll results simply vanish from news reports. This typically indicates that proponents have found their initiative is losing and they wish to keep that secret.
When polls are decisive, proponents will readily publish their poll results.
Similarly, when results may be close, those on the slightly losing side may heavily promote the poll results in hope of bringing more voters to the polls (using the fear of the other side winning as their propaganda method).
Watch these effects in future elections. When poll results are heavily promoted, they are used as a propaganda message. When poll results vanish, it means that a proposed measure is likely failing, badly.