Generally speaking, you don’t hear this because 538 is not a poll, it’s a political analysis brand and competitor (ABC news). Most news orgs or journalists quote the polls themselves.

> where "the latest polls" will mean (among other things) 538.

No, it won’t; 538 doesn’t produce polls.

I've heard numerous news organizations/corporations cite 538 as the source of their analysis.

538 does produce analysis. They do not produce polls - they consume polls.

None of which matters to people who hear "analysis of the electoral race" on some media.

I don't think dragonwriter was weighing in on your broader point, but being a little pedantic (and a lot correct) about what work is done by what people in our electoral coverage.

And that will happen no matter what. Polls and prognostications will always exist and probably have always existed back to the first tribal chieftain election. It’s just that instead of getting totally inaccurate predictions that only serve a narrative, for a little while a few of us knew how to get a more unbiased prediction. Now even fewer people will know anything aside from their favorite outlet’s media bubble.