Who cares?!

Simon

It's also mentioned in the paper review. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7426939.stm

David Boothroyd

The BBC has had an editorial policy against giving a great prominence to individual polls for quite some time, and with good reason. Firstly polls are not real news; the events driving public opinion are the news. Secondly, individual polls can go wrong. Thirdly, over-reporting of polls itself manipulates public opinion (which is why all poll results are heavily 'adjusted' for people refusing to say).

There is an absolute rule that the BBC never leads the television news with a poll result.

Herbert Thornton

If the YouGov Poll isn't getting much attention, it seems likely that a telephone poll recently conducted by the Star must be getting even less.

The Star's headline about it reads -

" BROWN'S DRIVING BRITS TO VOTE BNP"

Hugh

It's worth noting the BBC broke its editorial policy on reporting polls during the London mayoral contest, however. But only once. When a poll showed Ken and Boris neck and neck.
It's also worth noting this policy does not apply to the research and surveys continually put out by charities and pressure groups. These, of course, are also not really news, can go wrong, and are specifically designed to manipulate public opinion.

GH

David, I don't recall the BBC being anything like as shy when it was breathlessly reporting on George Bush's low approval ratings. Perhaps you could explain why its editorial policy was ignored here?

As an aside, I typed "Gordon Brown Approval Rating" into the BBC search engine, and the first half page read exactly like this:

"BBC NEWS | Nick Robinson's Newslog
You can't claim that when the times are good Brown is the Iron Chancellor and then as soon as they get bad take no responsibility.

News - Politics - Brown 'reaches popularity high'
That brings Mr Brown's net approval rating to 29%, a level he has not reached since March 1998. Some figures on Labour's left have again begun to champion the idea of a Brown premiership.
23 Apr 2002"

The BBC, biased in favour of Gordon Brown? Shurely Shome Mishtake?

News - Politics - Hoon's personal war dividend
Beaten Blair He has even beaten Tony Blair and Gordon Brown on this occasion - although the prime minister and the chancellor top the poll as far as Labour voters are concerned.
23 Apr 2003

More results from "News - Politics"
BBC NEWS | Nick Robinson's Newslog
At on 19 Apr 2008 , wrote: Dear Nick, I have never read such a pro-Brown article outside of the pages of the Guardian.

Programmes - Politics Show - All washed up?
Since taking over from Tony Blair, Mr Brown has enjoyed a bounce in the opinion polls and approval ratings even staunch Labour supporters thought impossible.
21 Sep 2007

Programmes - Politics Show - All washed up?
Since taking over from Tony Blair, Mr Brown has enjoyed a bounce in the opinion polls and approval ratings even staunch Labour supporters thought impossible.
20 Sep 2007