Compliance With Legislative Requirements on Coverage of Sociological Data on Television

Abstract

Research Methodology. The methods of analysis and synthesis, systematization, generalization have been used. The monitoring method, system method, comparative method, and content analysis have been applied to work with the empirical base.

Results. It can be stated that both the proper fulfilment of the electoral legislation requirements on the publication of the results of sociological polls in news programs and their violation. There are internal and external factors that influence the presentation of sociological information on TV. The channel “Ukraina” journalists almost completely kept to the norm for indicating the full name of the poll organization, the time the survey was being conducted, the territory it was covered, the size and method of forming the sociological sample. Instead, the survey method, the precise formulation of questions, and possible statistical error were not always reported in the news. This kind of television practice can be considered to be a violation of the law, and also regarded as providing incomplete information, which does not allow the audience to form an adequate understanding of socio-political events in the country. At all, the channel did not comply with the legislative norm regarding the disclosure of the customers who ordered the survey; as such information was not provided by the sociological services for which the law does not set such requirements.

With the view to the public interest in sociology during the election period, the legitimate and competent coverage of the sociological information by the media is of great importance. Therefore, the responsibility of media owners, professionalism and methodological culture of journalists in interpreting sociological information plays a very important role.

Novelty. The tendencies of presenting television news content about sociological data in the context of recent public events have been searched. Compliance with the requirements of the current Ukrainian legislation on the disclosure of sociological information in the media field has been clarified.

The practical significance. The results of the study can be useful for developing recommendations on the coverage of sociological data in the media in order to prevent possible abuses and errors in the future. They can also be used in training courses for both journalism students and practicing journalists.

Key words: media, television, news, sociological data, survey, sociological information.