ABC Farms Out Polling to Departing Langer

Gary Langer, the veteran Polling Director of US broadcaster ABC, has left to run his own firm, Langer Research Associates, which will take over management of the media giant's ABC News/Washington Poll from its own News Polling Unit.

The Poll was introduced 29 years ago. Langer himself has worked at the Polling Unit for nearly twenty, and directed it for twelve, producing more than 700 public opinion surveys and winning two News Emmy awards from eight nominations, the only such to cite public opinion polls. He also carried off AAPOR's coveted 2010 Policy Impact Award for a six-year series of surveys in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The new firm will conduct and analyse other surveys for ABC and work as polling consultants for the news division's producers and correspondents. It will also offer general research services to other clients. Joining Langer in the new venture are research methods and stats specialist Julie E. Phelan, and David G. Tully, formerly of InterMedia and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. The company is also supported by senior advisers Prof. Jon A. Krosnick of Stanford University and Prof. Robert Y. Shapiro of Columbia University, and consulting adviser and ex-ABC exec Patrick J. Moynihan, now Assistant Director of the Program on Survey Research at Harvard University.

David Westin, President of the News Division, comments: 'This new arrangement maintains ABC News' commitment to covering the beat of public opinion through a structure that's at once more cost-effective for us and opens new opportunities for Langer Research. When Gary proposed it, we saw it quickly as a win/win.'

Web site: www.langerresearch.com .