Scott Rasmussen

Scott Rasmussen (born 1955 or 1956 [http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing/market-research/597741-1.html He got out of sports to be a poll vaulter] Business North Carolina, October 1, 1996] ) is an American public opinion pollster. He is the founder and CEO of Rasmussen Reports. He also co-founded the sports network ESPN, and is currently president of the Methodist Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association.

ESPN

From an early age, Rasmussen was exposed to the broadcasting business through his father, Bill Rasmussen, who had worked for radio stations and was a communications director for the New England Whalers ice hockey team. [http://library.thinkquest.org/10615/frames/games/billarticle.html] In 1979, Scott and Bill Rasmussen founded ESPN"Sports' Junkies Rejoice:The Birth of ESPN", Bill Rasmussen; QV Publishing, inc., Hartsdale, New York (November 1983)] , the cable sports network. Their stake in ESPN was bought out by Texaco in 1984.

Education

Rasmussen earned a bachelor's degree in history at DePauw University, graduating in 1986 [ [http://www.depauw.edu/news/index.asp?id=22006 Pollster Scott Rasmussen '86 Has Yet to See Convention Bounce for Barack Obama] DePauw University News, August 28, 2008] , and later an executive MBA from Wake Forest University.

Polling

In 1995, he founded a polling company called GrassRoots Research. In 1999, his company Rasmussen Research was bought by TownPagesNet.com for about $4.5 million in ordinary shares. [ [http://www.secinfo.com/dRQ1j.5p.htm] ] As of 2008, Scott Rasmussen is the CEO of Rasmussen Reports (a separate company) and describes himself as having been an independent public opinion pollster for more than a decade. [http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/about_us (Accessed September 7, 2008)] He received $95,500 from the Republican National Committee and $45,500 from the George W. Bush presidential campaign as a campaign consultant for the 2004 presidential election. [ [http://projects.publicintegrity.org/consultants/list.aspx?act=conDetail&id=122002 Consultant: Scott Rasmussen Inc] Center for Public Integrity (Accessed September 7, 2008)]

Rasmussen's polls are notable for their use of automated public opinion polling, involving pre-recorded telephone inquiries. [ [http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/about_us/methodology Rasmussen Reports: The most comprehensive public opinion coverage ever provided for a mid-term election ] ] These types of polls have been shown to produce accurate results at low cost, although some traditional pollsters are skeptical of this methodology and prefer traditional, operator-assisted polling techniques. [ [http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2006/07/parsing_the_polls_of_auto_dial.html The Pros and Cons of Auto-Dialed Surveys - The Fix ] ] Polls by Rasmussen Reports are cited regularly by most major news sources, and as a guest analyst Rasmussen has appeared on a number of news broadcasts, including Fox News Network, the BBC, CNN, NPR, and CNBC.

Religious activities

Scott Rasmussen is an Evangelical Christian and is president of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, a not-for-profit corporation with historic ties to the United Methodist Church and the Wesleyan tradition. The Camp Meeting founded the town of Ocean Grove, New Jersey in 1869 and maintains a Christian seaside resort community providing opportunities for spiritual birth, growth, and renewal. His slogan for the 2006 Annual Camp Meeting was 'In the Redemption Business.'

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