Disney Shutters FiveThirtyEight Amid ABC News Layoffs

Disney's ABC News has shut down FiveThirtyEight, the influential data-driven political site founded by Nate Silver, as part of broader layoffs impacting approximately 200 employees across the network. FiveThirtyEight gained prominence for its statistical election forecasts, notably accurately predicting 49 out of 50 states in the 2008 presidential election; however, it also faced criticism for its 2016 prediction of Hillary Clinton's victory. Silver, who left ABC in May 2023 amid tensions over editorial direction, expressed sorrow over the closure, highlighting the hard work of the staff. The site, which had recently narrowed its focus from a broader range of topics to primarily political data, employed about 15 people at the time of its closure. Despite the shutdown, ABC News plans to continue offering political data analysis, though the future of FiveThirtyEight's data and models remains uncertain. Many journalists and observers lamented the loss of the site, which was seen as a significant player in political data journalism.