Journalist Slams News Studios for Disconnect From Public Opinion
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Haaretz journalist Josh Breiner criticized Israeli news studios and pollsters for a "crazy disconnect" from the public after election forecasts proved inaccurate. He noted the Likud party's unexpectedly strong performance and the lack of Arab representation on news panels despite significant Arab voter turnout. Breiner called for media and pollsters to re-evaluate their connection to the public, labeling the situation "Yom Kippur for the pollsters."
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Journalist Josh Breiner criticized news studios and pollsters for a "crazy disconnect" from the public.
- Pre-election polls significantly underestimated the Likud party's performance in the 26th Knesset elections.
- Breiner highlighted the absence of Arab panelists despite strong Arab party results.
- He urged media professionals and pollsters to conduct "soul-searching" after the election discrepancies.
- Breiner called the situation "Yom Kippur for the pollsters" due to major forecasting errors.
Haaretz journalist Josh Breiner sharply criticized Israeli news studios and polling firms following significant discrepancies between pre-election forecasts and the partial results of the 26th Knesset elections. Speaking on a Channel 12 news panel, Breiner argued that the election outcomes reveal a "crazy disconnect" between commentators, pollsters, and the Israeli public, urging media professionals to conduct a "soul-searching" examination.
Breiner specifically pointed to the wide gap between pre-election polls that predicted around 19-20 seats for the Likud party and the actual results, which indicated a much stronger showing, nearing 30 seats. "It cannot be that 24 hours ago we put Likud at 19-20 seats, and today it is already nearing 30," he stated, adding that "the people sitting in this studio and other studios need to do some soul-searching."
He also criticized the composition of news panels, highlighting the underrepresentation of Arab citizens despite the significant success of Arab parties in the elections. "It cannot be that the Arab public now stands at 18 seats and there isn't even one Arab panelist sitting here," Breiner observed. He suggested this lack of representation forces media figures to question their connection to public sentiment: "This compels us, those in the studios, to do some real soul-searching: are we truly connected to what is happening on the street?"
Breiner extended his critique to polling institutes, which he claimed presented a significantly inaccurate picture of public opinion. "This is Yom Kippur for the pollsters. There are people here who made a huge mistake," he said. He recalled that just a week prior, forecasts suggested Netanyahu's bloc would secure about 48 seats, a stark contrast to the emerging results, and questioned how such a large discrepancy could emerge so quickly, criticizing those who presented the forecasts with such confidence.
