More Greensboro residents support a controversial bill to restructure the City Council than oppose it, according to a survey paid for by a local conservative newspaper.
But polling experts question the poll’s results and the methods of the company that conducted it.
...The Rhino Times reported that the poll found 44 percent of respondents either strongly or somewhat support the bill and 37 percent strongly or somewhat oppose it.
...No information about the poll’s margin of error was reported.
John Hammer, the editor of the Rhino Times, declined to answer any questions about the survey or its methods Thursday.
Representatives of Revily, the Atlanta company the newspaper hired to conduct the poll, did not return phone calls for comment.
On its website Revily describes its mission as “to increase the probability of winning for Conservative Campaigns and Organizations.”
The poll seems to have the same mission...
...there are a number of red flags:
Questions ordered in a way that taints the most important policy question of the survey.
Questions phrased so poorly as to cause confusion.
Failing to give information that would help respondents give a more informed answer.
Before being asked about their support for SB 36 callers were, according to the Rhino Times, asked a series of questions about their trust in the Greensboro City Council and whether they believe the city is heading in the right direction.
“You never want to ask questions about confidence in government before you ask your main question about a government change,” Fernandez said.
http://www.news-record.com/news/government/sb-survey-draws-scrutiny/article_8e7e040e-df07-11e4-91d6-a31e9f09dc56.html
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"...We should use our survey efforts as a two-way communication tool
in order to share historical and other perspectives on Performing Arts Centers (“PAC).
An idea was presented to incorporate video into the survey tools
as part of our efforts in this regard.
...- We should gain an understanding
of the methodologies employed by the consultants relative to surveying efforts.
- An idea was shared to conduct a Poll
in order to educate the community about our efforts.
...the poll we are suggesting is an awareness poll
– not an opinion poll."
http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2012/03/from-greensboro-performing-arts-center.html
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From June, 2013; The Greensboro News & Record's Misleading Poll on Downtown Greensboro Inc. 1:06 minutes
http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2014/03/from-june-2013-greensboro-news-records.html
Is DGI using a push poll to kill off interest in Downtown Greensboro Food Trucks?
http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2012/09/is-dgi-using-push-poll-to-kill-off.html
A Hypocritical Organization
1: an organizaton who puts on a false appearance of virtue
2: an organization which acts in contradiction
to its stated beliefs.
A dictionary describing Greensboro's News and Record
Is the GPAC Task Force Using a Push Poll"
http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2012/04/is-gpac-task-force-using-push-poll.html
Astroturfing
http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2014/03/astroturfing.html
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"A push poll is an interactive marketing technique,
most commonly employed during political campaigning,
in which an individual or organization attempts to influence or alter the view of respondents
under the guise of conducting a poll.
In a push poll, large numbers of respondents are contacted,
and little or no effort is made to collect and analyze response data.
Instead, the push poll is a form of ...propaganda ...masquerading as a poll.
...Push polling has been condemned by the American Association of Political Consultants...
The mildest forms of push polling are designed merely to remind voters of a particular issue.
One way to distinguish between push polling as a tactic
and polls which legitimately seek information is the sample size.
Genuine polls make do with small, representative samples,
whereas push polls can be very large, like any other mass marketing effort.
True push polls tend to be very short, with only a handful of questions...
...Any data obtained (if used at all) is secondary in importance..."
Push Poll
Wikipedia
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First Question: Arts and cultural activities
may include attending live performances of music, dance or theater,
visiting museums and galleries, or creating art yourself
such as painting or singing in a chorus.
Would you say that you are ______ in arts and cultural activities?
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First Answer to first question: Don't Know
Response: Greensboro Performing Arts Center Task Force Community Survey
Thank you for your time and input.
Greensboro Performing Arts Center Task Force
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Second Answer to first question: Not at all interested
Response: Greensboro Performing Arts Center Task Force Community Survey
Thank you for your time and input.
Greensboro Performing Arts Center Task Force
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Third Answer to first question: Not very interested
Response: Greensboro Performing Arts Center Task Force Community Survey
Thank you for your time and input.
Greensboro Performing Arts Center Task Force
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Fourth Answer to first question: Somewhat interested
Response: In a typical year, how many arts and cultural activities do you attend?
Answer: 10 etc...
Propaganda proceeds by psychological manipulations,
character modifications, and the creation of stereotypes
useful when the time comes.
The two great routes that propaganda takes
are the conditioned reflex and the myth.
Jacques Ellul
"The propagandist seeks to change the way people understand an issue or situation
for the purpose of changing their actions and expectations
in ways that are desirable to the interest group.
Propaganda, in this sense, serves as a corollary to censorship
in which the same purpose is achieved,
not by filling people's minds with approved information,
but by preventing people from being confronted with opposing points of view.
...Propaganda is generally an appeal to emotion, not intellect.
It shares techniques with advertising and public relations,
each of which can be thought of as propaganda that promotes a commercial product
or shapes the perception of an organization, person, or brand.
..."Propaganda is a form of communication
that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position.
As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda, in its most basic sense,
presents information primarily to influence an audience.
Propaganda often presents facts selectively (thus possibly lying by omission)
to encourage a particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages
to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented.
The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience..."
Wiki
The beauty of the democratic systems of thought control,
...is that they operate by subtly establishing on a voluntary basis ,
aided by the force of ...media control by substantial interests,
presuppositions that set the limits of debate,
rather than by imposing beliefs with a bludgeon.
Then let the debate rage, the more lively and vigorous it is,
the better the propaganda system is served…
Those who do not accept the fundamental principles of state propaganda,
are simply excluded from the debate.
(or if noticed, dismissed as "emotional," "irresponsible," etc…)
Noam Chomsky
From "Greensboro Performing Arts Center Task Force Economic Impact/Feasibility Committee Minutes – February 29, 2012" and more
http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2012/03/from-greensboro-performing-arts-center.html
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Greensboro's residents have been played for suckers by both the Rhino Times and the News and Record.
These organizations don't appear to be looking out for the best interests of our community, but the best interests of themselves and their wealthy patron's financial initiatives.
Has the News and Record reported how Warren Buffett steals from and preys on our poor who own mobile homes yet?
Have they reported who stands to profit from the Megasite deal yet?
Have they reported how Greensboro's employees are getting fleeced in their retirement plan, which would be against the best interests of Warren Buffett?
The News and Record didn't report of prior push polls which benefited projects their staff and/or executives wanted to happen.
Their readers, and the Rhino's readers, are just pawns in a game in which most are unaware of the rules.
The problem is these are the folks who are supposed to look after and act in the best interests of our community, and they don't.
Both news organizations have violated the trust of Greensboro's taxpayers.
Both news organizations have misled Greensboro's taxpayers to the benefit of our oligarchy.
It's one big reason why Greensboro has been left behind.
