Petition Challenges Channel 14 Polls for Bias Against Eisenkot
Translated & summarized from Kipa by baba
An academic association has petitioned Israel's Central Elections Committee against Channel 14 and pollster Next Data, alleging biased political surveys. The petition claims a poll's question sequence, particularly critical statements about Gadi Eisenkot followed by a preference question, unfairly influences respondents. It also cites missing methodological data in other Channel 14 polls. The association seeks full data disclosure and removal of the contested poll reports.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- An association filed a petition against Channel 14 and Next Data for biased political polls.
- The petition claims poll questions unfairly influenced respondents' opinions on Gadi Eisenkot.
- Critical statements about Eisenkot preceded a question asking for prime minister preference.
- The petition also cites missing methodological data in other Channel 14 polls.
- The association seeks full disclosure of poll data and removal of contested reports.
A petition has been filed with the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Solberg, by the Democracy for Israel academic association, alleging that political polls broadcast and analyzed by Channel 14, specifically those conducted by Next Data and pollster Shlomo Filber, are biased. The petition highlights a questionnaire that included questions such as "What do you like most about Benjamin Netanyahu?" immediately followed by "What do you like least about Gadi Eisenkot?"
The core of the complaint is that the sequence of questions and statements, particularly those critical of Eisenkot, may unduly influence respondents' answers. These critical statements included claims that Eisenkot could not form a government without Mansour Abbas, Ayman Odeh, and Tibi, that he would have allowed Iran to obtain nuclear weapons, and that Israel could not afford his "experiment" as prime minister due to his lack of experience.
Following these statements, respondents were asked, "Now, if you knew that all the previous statements about Gadi Eisenkot were true, whom would you prefer for prime minister?" The petition argues this structure is designed to steer respondents toward a predetermined outcome and that the neutrality of the poll cannot be assessed without full disclosure of the questionnaire.
Furthermore, the petition claims that reports on two other polls conducted for Channel 14 in August and September lack essential information on sampling and weighting methods. One poll, for instance, reported an initial sample of 616 individuals alongside 981 actual respondents without explanation for the discrepancy.
The association, supported by expert opinions in statistics, public opinion research, and voter behavior, requests Solberg to order Next Data to submit complete and corrected reports and to make the poll data public. They also seek an order for Channel 14 to remove publications related to the two contested polls. Professor Lior Sheffer of Tel Aviv University emphasized that polls significantly influence voter decisions during elections, making it crucial for the public to distinguish between professional and manipulative surveys. Channel 14 and Shlomo Filber have not yet responded.
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