The Pulitzer Prize is an award given to pieces of writing, specifically in literature, online and newspaper journalism, and musical composition. It originated when Joseph Pulitzer, a newspaper publisher, gave money to Columbia University in order to start a journalism school as well as the prize. The first prizes were awarded in 1917, after his death in 1911. They are now awarded each year in April of each year.
Over the nearly 100 years since the Pulitzer's inception, many categories have been added, discontinued and merged. There are currently 21 categories for prizes, including national and international reporting, poetry, drama and public service. Recently added prize categories are beat reporting and local reporting in 2007, and spot news photography and breaking news photography in 2000. In 2008, it was mentioned that online-only content was being considered as an addition.
The award process differs from many other awards in that one must enter (and pay a $50 fee) their work to the committee for review, the committee will not automatically consider all works in the media. Entries must be made in a maximum of two specific categories. There are 20 juries on the Pulitzer Prize, with 120 judges selected each year. Most juries consist of five judges, although some categories have seven judges. There are three entries nominated by the jury within each category, with the winners being selected by majority vote by the board from the nominations, or by a 75% vote in the case of non-nomination submissions. Nominated finalists are announced along with the winners each year.
In addition to the judges, there is a board made up of 19 members, primarily newspaper editors and executives, although it also includes the president of Columbia University as well as the dean of the college of journalism. However, these two members cannot vote. The board elects its own members and each year the chair is given to the most senior member.
One notable winner of the Pulitzer Prize is John F. Kennedy in the biography category, for his 1955 work: Profiles in Courage. His work outlined acts of integrity and courage done by eight different United States senators, with actions including crossing party lines and rebuffing the opinions of their constituents in defense of what they believed was right. These senators suffered severe criticism and loss in popularity due to their noble actions, and Kennedy's work celebrated their bravery. The book was widely popular and quickly became a best seller, winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1957.
One recent Pulitzer winner is Raquel Rutledge, who won the 2010 prize for local reporting. She won specifically for her work in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel where she wrote "penetrating reports on the fraud and abuse in a child-care program for low-wage working parents that fleeced taxpayers and imperiled children, resulting in a state and federal crackdown on providers." This marked the second time in three years that Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has earned a Pulitzer for local reporting. The specific work recognized, "Cashing in on Kids", lay bare the negligence of the state in its taxpayer-funded childcare system and the crime and fraud found therein.
While the Pulitzer Prize has been criticized for its alleged liberal-leaning bias, winning it is still regarded as an important achievement, putting finalists in the ranks of great writers such as John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway, Roger Ebert, Alice Walker and Cormac McCarthy.
Over the nearly 100 years since the Pulitzer's inception, many categories have been added, discontinued and merged. There are currently 21 categories for prizes, including national and international reporting, poetry, drama and public service. Recently added prize categories are beat reporting and local reporting in 2007, and spot news photography and breaking news photography in 2000. In 2008, it was mentioned that online-only content was being considered as an addition.
The award process differs from many other awards in that one must enter (and pay a $50 fee) their work to the committee for review, the committee will not automatically consider all works in the media. Entries must be made in a maximum of two specific categories. There are 20 juries on the Pulitzer Prize, with 120 judges selected each year. Most juries consist of five judges, although some categories have seven judges. There are three entries nominated by the jury within each category, with the winners being selected by majority vote by the board from the nominations, or by a 75% vote in the case of non-nomination submissions. Nominated finalists are announced along with the winners each year.
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| The front of the Pulitzer Prize medallion |
One notable winner of the Pulitzer Prize is John F. Kennedy in the biography category, for his 1955 work: Profiles in Courage. His work outlined acts of integrity and courage done by eight different United States senators, with actions including crossing party lines and rebuffing the opinions of their constituents in defense of what they believed was right. These senators suffered severe criticism and loss in popularity due to their noble actions, and Kennedy's work celebrated their bravery. The book was widely popular and quickly became a best seller, winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1957.
One recent Pulitzer winner is Raquel Rutledge, who won the 2010 prize for local reporting. She won specifically for her work in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel where she wrote "penetrating reports on the fraud and abuse in a child-care program for low-wage working parents that fleeced taxpayers and imperiled children, resulting in a state and federal crackdown on providers." This marked the second time in three years that Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has earned a Pulitzer for local reporting. The specific work recognized, "Cashing in on Kids", lay bare the negligence of the state in its taxpayer-funded childcare system and the crime and fraud found therein.
While the Pulitzer Prize has been criticized for its alleged liberal-leaning bias, winning it is still regarded as an important achievement, putting finalists in the ranks of great writers such as John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway, Roger Ebert, Alice Walker and Cormac McCarthy.
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