ABC News has found its new head of data journalism, which will include oversight of polling, forecasts and the FiveThirtyEight brand.
G. Elliott Morris, who most recently spent time at The Economist as a data journalist and correspondent, has been named ABC News editorial director of data analytics, effectively replacing Nate Silver, who announced in April that he would soon be leaving ABC News and FiveThirtyEight.
“Elliott will lead our data journalism efforts for ABC News and FiveThirtyEight, including launching a full suite of poll-aggregation and election-forecasting models for U.S. elections to be used across broadcast, streaming and digital,” Godwin wrote in a note sent to staff. “Elliott and the FiveThirtyEight team will work closely with the politics unit and the decision desk to conduct original studies of polling data to deliver our audience information that goes beyond predicting voting choices to explore the intricate landscape of human emotions, motivations, and the fascinating web of influences that shape these results.”
Morris, who starts next month, will report to ABC News vp of digital Lulu Chiang, and be based in Washington D.C.
Here’s the note Godwin sent to staff announcing the addition of Morris:
Good morning ABC News,
I am pleased to share that G. Elliott Morris will be the editorial director of data analytics for ABC News, which includes FiveThirtyEight. Elliott starts on June 26 and will be based in Washington, D.C.
Elliott will lead our data journalism efforts for ABC News and FiveThirtyEight, including launching a full suite of poll-aggregation and election-forecasting models for U.S. elections to be used across broadcast, streaming and digital. Elliott and the FiveThirtyEight team will work closely with the politics unit and the decision desk to conduct original studies of polling data to deliver our audience information that goes beyond predicting voting choices to explore the intricate landscape of human emotions, motivations, and the fascinating web of influences that shape these results. Elliott will report to Lulu Chiang, vice president of ABC News Digital.
Elliott is an experienced data-driven journalist. He previously worked as a senior data journalist and U.S. correspondent for The Economist, covering American politics, public opinion polling, demographics and elections. He was the lead developer of The Economist’s election forecasting models for U.S. presidential and foreign elections. From 2020 to 2023, he wrote a data column for the paper’s weekly “Checks and Balance” newsletter on U.S. politics. Elliott is also the author of “Strength in Numbers: How Polls Work and Why We Need Them.”
With Elliott leading the talented data journalism team at ABC News and FiveThirtyEight, I look forward to the robust analysis of this current election cycle and the evolution of polling data at ABC News.
Please join me in congratulating Elliott and welcoming him to ABC News!
#oneabcnews
Kim