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Nate Silver quits New York Times to take up 'dream job' at ESPN Nate Silver quits New York Times to take up 'dream job' at ESPN
(2 months later)
The top forecaster in American politics has announced he is leaving the nation's most prestigious newspaper for a new home with the world's premier sportscaster.The top forecaster in American politics has announced he is leaving the nation's most prestigious newspaper for a new home with the world's premier sportscaster.
Nate Silver is joining ESPN from the New York Times after a stunning three-year run in which he coolly nailed the biggest election calls, attracted an enormous readership and silenced pundits whose mouths were previously thought to be un-stanchable.Nate Silver is joining ESPN from the New York Times after a stunning three-year run in which he coolly nailed the biggest election calls, attracted an enormous readership and silenced pundits whose mouths were previously thought to be un-stanchable.
At ESPN, Silver will serve as editor-in-chief of a new site, built by him, to apply statistical analysis to sports and a broad range of other fields. The new site will retain the name FiveThirtyEight, in reflection of the US electoral votes total, which Silver adopted before he joined the Times. Silver got his start analyzing baseball statistics and has co-authored numerous books on the subject.At ESPN, Silver will serve as editor-in-chief of a new site, built by him, to apply statistical analysis to sports and a broad range of other fields. The new site will retain the name FiveThirtyEight, in reflection of the US electoral votes total, which Silver adopted before he joined the Times. Silver got his start analyzing baseball statistics and has co-authored numerous books on the subject.
In his new role, Silver, 35, will also analyze politics for ABC News, which shares a corporate parent, Disney, with ESPN.In his new role, Silver, 35, will also analyze politics for ABC News, which shares a corporate parent, Disney, with ESPN.
"I'm very happy to announce that Nate Silver will be joining ESPN," network president John Skipper said in a Monday afternoon conference call with reporters. "I'm thrilled because Nate has a really unique blend of creativity, journalism and statistical analysis that he can bring to ESPN." Skipper described the contract as "a long-term, multi-year deal.""I'm very happy to announce that Nate Silver will be joining ESPN," network president John Skipper said in a Monday afternoon conference call with reporters. "I'm thrilled because Nate has a really unique blend of creativity, journalism and statistical analysis that he can bring to ESPN." Skipper described the contract as "a long-term, multi-year deal."
Silver said the new site will mix sports forecasting and analysis with forecasting on economics, the weather, culture and more – possibly to include the Oscars.Silver said the new site will mix sports forecasting and analysis with forecasting on economics, the weather, culture and more – possibly to include the Oscars.
"This is really kind of a dream job for me, and the more we thought about it, the more excited that I became," Silver said on the call. "What I've done now for politics at FiveThirtyEight is an approach that we think is applicable in a lot of areas."This is really kind of a dream job for me, and the more we thought about it, the more excited that I became," Silver said on the call. "What I've done now for politics at FiveThirtyEight is an approach that we think is applicable in a lot of areas.
"It's not going to be just a politics site or just a sports site, there's lots of potential in business and economics, and weather, health, education, technology, culture. It's really more of a horizontal approach.""It's not going to be just a politics site or just a sports site, there's lots of potential in business and economics, and weather, health, education, technology, culture. It's really more of a horizontal approach."
Silver said he had made no hires yet, but that the FiveThirtyEight staff was likely to be smaller than Grantland, another standalone site within ESPN. Skipper said Grantland employs "small dozens" of staff.Silver said he had made no hires yet, but that the FiveThirtyEight staff was likely to be smaller than Grantland, another standalone site within ESPN. Skipper said Grantland employs "small dozens" of staff.
Silver's move was seen as a blow to the Times, which worked hard to keep him as his three-year contract expired. "There's no question that the Times made a big pitch to keep [Silver] and that the effort to do so involved journalists at the highest level, including Jill Abramson, the executive editor, along with people at the corporate level," the newspaper's independent public editor, Margaret Sullivan, wrote Monday. "It was about to devote a significant number of staff positions to beefing up his presence into its own mini-department."Silver's move was seen as a blow to the Times, which worked hard to keep him as his three-year contract expired. "There's no question that the Times made a big pitch to keep [Silver] and that the effort to do so involved journalists at the highest level, including Jill Abramson, the executive editor, along with people at the corporate level," the newspaper's independent public editor, Margaret Sullivan, wrote Monday. "It was about to devote a significant number of staff positions to beefing up his presence into its own mini-department."
The willingness of the paper to spend money on a bigger nest for Silver increased resentment of him among some colleagues who already disliked his work, Sullivan wrote. "I don't think Nate Silver ever really fit into the Times culture and I think he was aware of that," she wrote. "He was, in a word, disruptive."The willingness of the paper to spend money on a bigger nest for Silver increased resentment of him among some colleagues who already disliked his work, Sullivan wrote. "I don't think Nate Silver ever really fit into the Times culture and I think he was aware of that," she wrote. "He was, in a word, disruptive."
Silver was asked on the call whether that was a fair characterization. "I had plenty of support I felt from Jill [Abramson] and other key people," he said. "I don't want to dwell too much … I would say I love the people at ESPN. This culture stuff is not a big factor."Silver was asked on the call whether that was a fair characterization. "I had plenty of support I felt from Jill [Abramson] and other key people," he said. "I don't want to dwell too much … I would say I love the people at ESPN. This culture stuff is not a big factor."
If Silver was not the most popular figure inside the Times newsroom, he was hugely popular outside it. In the week before the 2012 presidential election, 13% of visits to the New York Times web site included visits to FiveThirtyEight, Marc Tracy reported in the New Republic. On the day before the election that figure hit 20 percent.If Silver was not the most popular figure inside the Times newsroom, he was hugely popular outside it. In the week before the 2012 presidential election, 13% of visits to the New York Times web site included visits to FiveThirtyEight, Marc Tracy reported in the New Republic. On the day before the election that figure hit 20 percent.
It's no mystery why people were reading Silver. His forecasts for the 2012 election were spot on for all 50 states. In the weeks prior to the election, when members of the political chattering class from George Will to Joe Scarborough were lecturing about how close the race was, Silver saw the president with a better than 90% chance of re-election. The democratic victory vindicated Silver and gave the lie to his detractors' supposed expertise.It's no mystery why people were reading Silver. His forecasts for the 2012 election were spot on for all 50 states. In the weeks prior to the election, when members of the political chattering class from George Will to Joe Scarborough were lecturing about how close the race was, Silver saw the president with a better than 90% chance of re-election. The democratic victory vindicated Silver and gave the lie to his detractors' supposed expertise.
ESPN badly needs the traffic. The network laid off hundreds of employees in May and stumbled in the ratings in the second quarter of 2013. It also faces a new competitor with the planned launch in August of Fox Sports 1.ESPN badly needs the traffic. The network laid off hundreds of employees in May and stumbled in the ratings in the second quarter of 2013. It also faces a new competitor with the planned launch in August of Fox Sports 1.
The terms of the deal, which is thought to possibly breach seven figures, were not disclosed.The terms of the deal, which is thought to possibly breach seven figures, were not disclosed.
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