Statistics and the media: when the interpretation of statistics by the media varies from the content of the dataset

Abstract

The media play an important role in the dissemination of the statistics conveyed to them by the institutions that generate data. Oftentimes, however, their handling of these data varies from their original content. Drawing on the inflation data provided by the Cameroon National Institute of Statistics, this paper shows how and why the media have misinterpreted the information supplied to them and suggests possible ways to enable them to ameliorate the way they disseminate statistical data. This paper sets out to examine the processing of statistical information on inflation emanating from the Cameroon National Institute of Statistics (NSI) by some of the media outlets in order to highlight instances of faulty interpretations, identify the root causes and propose possible avenues to help ameliorate media dissemination of statistical data relayed to them.