Nate Silver: Advice for Young Journalists in the Digital Age
This past Tuesday, Nate Silver delivered the Henry Pringle Lecture to graduates at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
A few excerpts:
“Don’t assume that someone is right just because they have a big credential attached. …(snip)…There have been a number of studies ‐‐ including some I’ve conducted myself ‐‐ which have demonstrated that a group of four political pundits is often no more insightful than a barbershop quartet.
A high percentage of what passes for news is really just filler.”“One of the flaws of political journalism, in fact, is that a lot of what amounts to spin is given authority by being reported at face value.”
“If there’s one skill that’s particularly important ‐‐ that really brings together journalism and statistical analysis ‐‐ it’s learning how to distinguish cause and effect.
…(snip)…
Journalists need to take the same critical attitude toward statistical data that they do with any other type of information.”“…never forget that your first commitment is to the truth.”