The Signal and the Noise author and statistician Nate Silver will leave the New York Times, taking his popular FiveThirtyEight blog to a new home at ESPN.
New York Times public editor Margaret Sullivan wrote a frank column exploring Silver’s relationship with other journalists at the newspaper. Check it out:
A number of traditional and well-respected Times journalists disliked his work. The first time I wrote about himI suggested that print readers should have the same access to his writing that online readers were getting. I was surprised to quickly hear by e-mail from three high-profile Times political journalists, criticizing him and his work. They were also tough on me for seeming to endorse what he wrote, since I was suggesting that it get more visibility.
Here’s more from ESPN about Silver’s new roles at ESPN:
Silver will serve as the editor-in-chief of the site and will build a team of journalists, editors, analysts and contributors in the coming months. Much like Grantland, which ESPN launched in 2011, the site will retain an independent brand sensibility and editorial point-of-view, while interfacing with other websites in the ESPN and Disney families. The site will return to its original URL, www.FiveThirtyEight.com. Silver’s reach will also extend to television and other ESPN platforms, where he will contribute to a wide variety of programs. He will showcase his work regularly on ABC News outlets as well, and during election years and key political events, Silver will provide political insights and analysis to ABC News.