Another "quality control" problem at Fox News?

Two weeks after sending out memo on "zero tolerance" policy, network alters polling data

Washington, DC - Today, in response to Fox News altering polling data to falsely claim that 94 percent of Americans think it is at least somewhat likely that climate scientists falsified research in order to support theories on global warming, Media Matters for America's Ari Rabin-Havt issued an open letter to Fox News Senior Vice President Michael Clemente. As Media Matters noted, the network sent a "quality control" memo two weeks ago to newsroom staff announcing that there would be "zero tolerance for on-screen errors."

The letter reads:

December 8, 2009

Dear Mr. Clemente,

We were pleased to read the "quality control" memo Fox News sent to its newsroom last month. It is heartening to know that "effective immediately" Fox News will have a "zero tolerance for on-screen errors." Considering the countless inaccuracies Media Matters has documented on Fox News, we appreciate your current interest in promoting accuracy.

To that end, Media Matters identified a glaring error in a graphic on the December 4 broadcast of Fox & Friends. The graphic cited a Rasmussen poll on the manufactured scandal dubbed "Climategate" by conservatives:

Rasmussen asked respondents, "In order to support their own theories and beliefs about global warming, how likely is it that some scientists falsified research data?" According to the poll, 35 percent thought it very likely, 24 percent somewhat likely, 21 percent not very likely, and 5 percent not likely at all (15 percent weren't sure). However, it appears Fox News' graphics department added together the "very likely" and the "somewhat likely" responses to give the "somewhat likely" group 59 percent of the responses. Then, Fox included the 35 percent who answered "very likely" as its own group (even though it was already included in the "somewhat likely" group). The "not very likely" and "not likely at all" were also added together to get 26 percent, and the 15 percent who were unsure were not included in the graphic.

The erroneous percentages Fox & Friends showed in its graphic added up to 120 percent (even without the 15 percent who responded that they weren't sure). More importantly, Fox News' presentation of the data made it seem as though 94 percent of Americans think it's at least "somewhat likely" that climate scientists falsify their research data.

Your quality control memo came after a series of embarrassing incidents where Fox News aired incorrect video footage. In that memo, you stated that "mistakes by any member of the show team that end up on air may result in immediate disciplinary action against those who played significant roles in the 'mistake chain.' "

I look forward to hearing how this new policy will be enforced in this case.

Sincerely,

Ari Rabin-Havt

Vice President for Communications and Research, Media Matters for America