ABC News Cuts Ties with 538 Amid Layoffs
Following the trend of media layoffs post-2024 election, ABC News has announced significant changes within the network. One of the major moves includes cutting ties with 538, the data and polling platform founded by Nate Silver, who departed from ABC in 2023.
The decision to part ways with 538 comes as part of wider layoffs at the Walt Disney parent company, which is reportedly facing its own set of challenges.
According to a report by The Hill, the restructuring at ABC News Group will impact around 200 employees, representing less than 6 percent of the staff at the company and Disney Entertainment Networks unit. Additionally, 15 employees from 538 will be let go as part of the changes.
The move to eliminate 538 is part of a broader consolidation effort within ABC News, which includes modifications to on-air programming. Shows like “20/20” and “Nightline” are set to be merged into a single broadcast segment, while the production team of “Good Morning America” will undergo streamlining under the management of Simone Swink.
Media critic John Nolte of Breitbart News highlights the significance of ABC’s decision to let go of 538:
“The most interesting nugget is the news that ABC is shutting down the once-popular 538, the site created by Nate Silver touted as a data-driven piece of science that would predict the outcome of elections, along with things like the Oscars and sporting events. Under Silver, the site did pretty well … until the arrival of Donald Trump in 2016. Suddenly, ‘data-driven’ began to look more like ‘wishcasting,’ and the site became a joke.”
“Giving up 538 is a Big Deal. The whole idea behind that site was not to reflect what public opinion said in the polling but to shape public opinion—especially in 2016, 2020, and 2024.”
With changes underway at ABC News, speculations arise about potential improvements within the network. Some suggest that shows like The View, which is part of ABC News, could also be under scrutiny for its political content.
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