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The Media and Their Use of Opinion Polls: Reflecting and Shaping Public Opinion

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Opinion Polls and the Media

Abstract

The histories of mass media, public opinion and opinion polling have always been closely intertwined. Before the invention of scientific opinion polling, both political leaders and lay people used media coverage as a proxy for public opinion, while in addition and after the invention of opinion polling, the media’s use of opinion polls has become an important part of their coverage of politics in general and of election campaigns in particular.

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Authors
  1. Jesper Strömbäck
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany

    Christina Holtz-Bacha

  2. Mid Sweden University, Sweden

    Jesper Strömbäck

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© 2012 Jesper Strömbäck

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Strömbäck, J. (2012). The Media and Their Use of Opinion Polls: Reflecting and Shaping Public Opinion. In: Holtz-Bacha, C., Strömbäck, J. (eds) Opinion Polls and the Media. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230374959_1

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