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SPJ condemned Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr’s recent warning that broadcasters airing so-called “fake polls” could be violating FCC regulations prohibiting news distortion. Such warnings risk intimidating journalists and chilling legitimate election coverage.
In an Oct. 21 post on X, Carr warned broadcasters of an alleged surge in “fake” and “suppression” polls intended to interfere with elections and influence voter turnout. Carr said the FCC takes these issues seriously and warned broadcasters against violating federal prohibitions on news distortion and “broadcast hoaxes.”
Carr’s comments followed revelations that Wedgewood Polling had fabricated polling data as part of what it described as a “social experiment.” The organization’s fabricated data appeared in polling databases used by major news organizations.
“While deliberate fabrication of polling data raises serious ethical concerns, journalists who report polling information in good faith should not face the threat of regulatory punishment,” SPJ National President Nicole DeCriscio said in an Oct. 28 statement. “Threats like these are intended to scare broadcasters into silence.”
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