FiveThirtyEight, a political data site founded in 2008, is being shut down as Disney conducts mass layoffs at its ABC News and Disney Entertainment Networks.
Disney is cutting nearly 6% of its staff, which is set to impact around 200 employees at ABC News and Disney Entertainment Networks unit, The Wall Street Journal first reported. The shutting down of FiveThirtyEight will lead to the elimination of 15 jobs.
The cuts are a result of Disney’s plans to spend more on sports and entertainment content to compete with other streaming platforms, WSJ reported. More job cuts are set to occur as ABC News consolidates its news magazine shows, “20/20” and “Nightline” into one unit and its longstanding three-hour program, “Good Morning America,” which will be produced by Simone Swink.
G. Elliot Morris, who currently runs FiveThirty Eight, said the cuts are a “huge blow” and “loss” to political data journalism.
“As reported, the entire staff of 538 was laid off this morning. This is a severe blow to political data journalism, and I feel for my colleagues. Readers note: As we were instructed not to publish any new content, all planned updates to polls data and averages are canceled indefinitely. Huge loss,” Morris said.
As reported, the entire staff of 538 was laid off this morning. This is a severe blow to political data journalism, and I feel for my colleagues. Readers note: As we were instructed not to publish any new content, all planned updates to polls data and averages are canceled indefinitely. Huge loss
— G Elliott Morris (@gelliottmorris.com) March 5, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Morris further expressed hope that FiveThirtyEight can reemerge with the help of just two or three researchers, a couple of engineers and a “modest budget.”
“[N]ews still unfolding but here is one thing i’ll say: 538’s data collection was game-changing, and i hope it gets a rebirth. would need a modest budget for 2-3 researchers and 1-2 engineers. AI has also made things easier (at least I suspect — we were forbidden from using it),” Morris said.
news still unfolding but here is one thing i’ll say:
538’s data collection was game-changing, and i hope it gets a rebirth. would need a modest budget for 2-3 researchers and 1-2 engineers. AI has also made things easier (at least I suspect — we were forbidden from using it). https://t.co/gGvo5NcAd4
— G Elliott Morris (@gelliottmorris) March 5, 2025
The site’s founder, Nate Silver, expressed sorrow over the shutting down of his creation and said the employees being affected by the elimination “deserved so much better.”
“Oh geez, I just saw the news about 538. My heart goes out to the people there,” Silver said in a statement on X. “They were tremendously hard-working and produced a lot of extremely valuable data and insight for everyone who wants to understand politics better. They deserved much better.”
Former FiveThirtyEight reporter Kayleigh Rogers said the shutting down of the political data site will have “pretty severe ripple effects” as the site completed “important work across the industry.” Sherwood News executive editor Walter Hickey said ABC “completely fumbled a real jewel.”
The Disney Entertainment Networks, which broadcasts cable channels such as FX and Freeform, will also face staffing cuts, WSJ reported.
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