Nate Silver on the Launch of ESPN’s New FiveThirtyEight, Burritos, and Being a Fox
Stats superstar Nate Silver hates the term “data-driven.” He
also hates the work of just about every popular columnist at all of the major
newspapers, including his former employer, the New York Times. But he loves
burritos. On March 17, Silver will deliver his fix — yes, it’s data-driven —
for the world of journalism in the form of a new FiveThirtyEight, now owned and
operated by ESPN (and its parent company, Disney-ABC). Along with covering his
signature topics of sports and politics, Silver’s staff aims to apply an
accessible, quantitative approach to economics, science, and the catch-all
topic “lifestyle.” Also, Mexican food.
Ahead of the launch, he talked to Daily Intelligencer about
learning how to be a manager, his problem with “hedgehogs,” and how hard it is
to hire women.
