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News media may scrap partnership in Voter News Service
New York Times
Published Dec. 30, 2002 GUIL30
The major TV news networks and the Associated Press are seriously considering dissolving their decade-long partnership in the Voter News Service, the Election Day polling organization that was at the heart of the problems they had in reporting the results of the past two national elections, said network executives close to the discussions.
At the very least, the partnership probably will scrap the multimillion-dollar upgrade of the service's computer system, its main component, which has been fraught with technical problems, the executives said.
The dissolution of the partnership would leave in doubt the news media's plans for reporting the results of the primaries and the general election with only a little over a year to go before the presidential campaign's first test in Iowa. The service has dozens of subscribers, including the New York Times, which rely on it as the main source of Election Day projections and analysis.
Executives who know about the deliberations said a vote on the future of the service could come as early as Jan. 6, when the partners are scheduled to meet. Though they did not think it is likely that the service would survive a vote, they said they could not rule out its continuation. They all cited a confidentiality agreement and spoke on the condition that their names not be used.
The computer system in question was to replace the one that in part led the major TV networks to make errors in calling the state of Florida -- first for Al Gore, then for George Bush -- during the 2000 presidential election. That system's statistical models produced erroneous results; its software failed to detect an overcount for Bush in Volusia County.
In the elections last month, the new system's first real test, technical glitches delayed the transmission of election results from some states. At an estimated cost of $8 million to $12 million, the system has yet to produce an exit poll analyzing how important blocs -- like black people, gay and married people -- voted and what motivated them in their choices.
Executives at the partner organizations -- ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News, CNN and the Associated Press -- are said by people close to the polling organization's board to have little confidence in the system, which was initially expected to be in perfect working order by the 2004 campaign.
With that target now in doubt, executives at some of the partner organizations said they believed they would be better off starting from scratch now rather than taking a chance that the system's bugs could be worked out in the next year.
News media may scrap partnership in Voter News Service
New York Times
Published Dec. 30, 2002 GUIL30
The major TV news networks and the Associated Press are seriously considering dissolving their decade-long partnership in the Voter News Service, the Election Day polling organization that was at the heart of the problems they had in reporting the results of the past two national elections, said network executives close to the discussions.
At the very least, the partnership probably will scrap the multimillion-dollar upgrade of the service's computer system, its main component, which has been fraught with technical problems, the executives said.
The dissolution of the partnership would leave in doubt the news media's plans for reporting the results of the primaries and the general election with only a little over a year to go before the presidential campaign's first test in Iowa. The service has dozens of subscribers, including the New York Times, which rely on it as the main source of Election Day projections and analysis.
Executives who know about the deliberations said a vote on the future of the service could come as early as Jan. 6, when the partners are scheduled to meet. Though they did not think it is likely that the service would survive a vote, they said they could not rule out its continuation. They all cited a confidentiality agreement and spoke on the condition that their names not be used.
The computer system in question was to replace the one that in part led the major TV networks to make errors in calling the state of Florida -- first for Al Gore, then for George Bush -- during the 2000 presidential election. That system's statistical models produced erroneous results; its software failed to detect an overcount for Bush in Volusia County.
In the elections last month, the new system's first real test, technical glitches delayed the transmission of election results from some states. At an estimated cost of $8 million to $12 million, the system has yet to produce an exit poll analyzing how important blocs -- like black people, gay and married people -- voted and what motivated them in their choices.
Executives at the partner organizations -- ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News, CNN and the Associated Press -- are said by people close to the polling organization's board to have little confidence in the system, which was initially expected to be in perfect working order by the 2004 campaign.
With that target now in doubt, executives at some of the partner organizations said they believed they would be better off starting from scratch now rather than taking a chance that the system's bugs could be worked out in the next year.
