FiveThirtyEight, the influential political data site first launched by stats guru Nate Silver in 2008, is being shut down amid sweeping layoffs being enacted by Disney across ABC News and Disney Entertainment Networks, a source familiar with the matter told The Independent.
Additionally, all three hours of programs branded under the news network’s flagship morning talk show Good Morning America have been consolidated under one leader, GMA executive producer Simone Swink. Previously, the third hour — known as GMA3 — ran under a separate production team headed by executive producer Catherine McKenzie, who has been let go along with much of the GMA3 staff. The gutting of the third hour’s staff — as well as other deep cuts across the newsroom — have left many ABC News employees shaken and concerned.
