Friday, March 14, 2014

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.