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Nate Silver ("Blogger for Times") joining ESPN

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by buckweaver, Jul 19, 2013.

Page 6 of 9
  1. Alma

    Alma Well-Known Member

    At least part of that is because the appetite for Content! is so great, that going back day after day for latest requires the kind of working relationship you can't burn through in a year. (Unless your only intent is to be on the beat for a year.)

    Another part of it is the notion that there is no longer a "tough on both sides" kind of attitude. Abortion is not a debatable issue (either way) to most media outlets. You are either on one side or another, and your outlet advocates for that side, either through outright slant in writing or the kind of reporting that makes it obvious what side you're on.

    Great objective reporting can be enormously hard. Examining flaws in both arguments, examining flaws in leaders. It's really tough, especially when you're up against your own self-interest and a bunch of reporters who will happily take one side or the other as a sustainable business model.
     
    Alma, Jul 22, 2013
    #61
  2. Michael_ Gee

    Michael_ Gee Well-Known Member

    Alma, just like sports journalism, much of political journalism is boilerplate rote that requires no thought whatsoever and is totally obsolete. See: national conventions, coverage of. That, not false objectivity or thumb-sucking punditry, is its real problem. It's not interesting. Nobody reads "how the candidate decided to run" stories, which are pure pap spoon-fed by sources. It's possible Silver's coverage will become dull with repetition, too, but it hasn't happened yet.
     
    Michael_ Gee, Jul 23, 2013
    #62
  3. Inky_Wretch

    Inky_Wretch Well-Known Member

    Slate issues some challenges for Silver.

    http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2013/07/nate_silver_espn_the_eight_sports_problems_that_the_fivethirtyeight_maestro.html
     
    Inky_Wretch, Jul 23, 2013
    #63
  4. Elliotte Friedman

    Elliotte Friedman Moderator Staff Member

    We're missing the big picture here.

    Silver is going to be given a Grantland-style platform. He's going to be part of ABC News. This isn't just going to be sports. Oh, he'll do some sports, because he likes it...but he is being handed the same canvas Simmons got, and for a pile of money.

    That's the sell here. He'll have money and creative power.

    Silver: "I'm thinking of doing this."

    ESPN: "Go ahead."

    Tough to turn that down.
     
    Elliotte Friedman, Jul 23, 2013
    #64
  5. Versatile

    Versatile Active Member

    1. Who's missing that?
    2. The New York Times was offering him a similar platform and team.
    3. Each of the four stories I've read about this has said the ABC News affiliation likely will focus on congressional elections. ESPN is footing the bill for this. He's returning to sports more than anything else.
     
    Versatile, Jul 23, 2013
    #65
  6. Alma

    Alma Well-Known Member

    Nate Silver's not going to be able to hire 25 writers and spend 50 percent of his site writing about TV shows, music and movies.
     
    Alma, Jul 23, 2013
    #66
  7. Steak Snabler

    Steak Snabler Well-Known Member

    And 40 percent about the NBA.
     
    Steak Snabler, Jul 23, 2013
    #67
  8. dooley_womack1

    dooley_womack1 Well-Known Member

    As with a lot of decisions, ESPN did this because it can.
     
    dooley_womack1, Jul 23, 2013
    #68
  9. Steak Snabler

    Steak Snabler Well-Known Member

    http://www.theonion.com/articles/nate-silver-warns-against-overestimating-his-value,33212/
     
    Steak Snabler, Jul 23, 2013
    #69
  10. Elliotte Friedman

    Elliotte Friedman Moderator Staff Member

    Serious question: How do any of you guys know that?

    He's already said he's going to be part of Oscar coverage. If he wants to do all that stuff -- and hire people -- are you sure he can't?
     
    Elliotte Friedman, Jul 24, 2013
    #70
  11. Versatile

    Versatile Active Member

    I am sure he will do more than sports. But every report I've read has said ESPN will be his primary employer.
     
    Versatile, Jul 24, 2013
    #71
  12. Elliotte Friedman

    Elliotte Friedman Moderator Staff Member

    Yeah that's true...but Simmons is ESPN's primary employer, too. And look what Grantland is.

    Silver's going to get a blank canvas. And if I had a choice, I'd take ESPN over The New York Times, also, not that I'd have that choice.
     
    Elliotte Friedman, Jul 24, 2013
    #72
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