State Media Polling Firms Tops In Nation

An analysis of political polling firms whose primary clients are the public or the news media shows that two of them who poll for Oklahoma media outlets are among the highest ranked in the nation.

The analysis, actually a listing of all polling firms based on a sliding scale of the accuracy of their polling data percentages (not whether they predicted winners), is compiled by SurveyUSA, a national firm that polls for KFOR-TV, Channel 4, in Oklahoma City.

In the listing, SurveyUSA itself is listed 5th. The firm has been remarkably accurate in previous surveys for KFOR. It was the first polling firm to report the likelihood that Democrat Brad Henry would upset Republican Steve Largent in the 2002 governor's race.

The only Oklahoma firm listed is SoonerPoll, which conducts polls for the Tulsa World and KOTV, Channel 6. It is listed 33rd, right behind the Gallup Poll, with which it is numerically tied in the ranking. Pollster Bill Shapard also partners with Keith Gaddie in the firm TvPoll, with KWTV, Channel 9, as a client.

Gallup is listed 32nd in the analysis, which includes about 50 firms. Fox News is listed 8th, Zogby 10th, Rasmussen 20th, Mason-Dixon 24th.

The listings do not include survey research firms that routinely poll for clients and whose poll results are not disclosed. That would include the firms of Cole Hargrave Snodgrass And Associates (which does publish some results in its Sooner Survey) and Wilson Research Strategies, Washington-based firm with an Oklahoma City office and with political and corporate clients here and across the country.

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