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Pulitzer board chair describes great journalism: "solidly based, soberly presented, deeply detailed and totally exclusive"
The Pulitzer Prizes are one of this country's most prestigious awards and are the most sought-after accolade in journalism, literature and music. Administered at the University's Graduate School of Journalism, the Pulitzers drew a gathering of the nation's top journalists, artists and academicians to Low Rotunda on May 22, as Columbia bestowed the awards on this year's winners.
The Pulitzer luncheon ceremony is always a momentous occasion for awardees and an opportunity to salute the best in journalism, letters, drama and music. But this year, on the heels of criticism of the awards for honoring reporters accused of using what might be illegally leaked classified documents in their articles, it was fitting for both luncheon speakers to discuss the matter.
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| The gold medals, as they do each year, went to the public service award winners in the journalism category: The Sun Herald of Biloxi, Mississippi, and The Times-Picayune of New Orleans. |
Paul E. Steiger, managing editor of The Wall Street Journal and newly appointed chair of the Pulitzer Prize Board, underscored in his brief remarks that the Pulitzer Board was not "sending any political messages" by awarding four awards for journalism that ultimately embarrassed Republican politicians. In each case, the award-winning reports were "solidly based, soberly presented, deeply detailed and totally exclusive, giving the public a chance to debate a serious issue they otherwise would not have known existed. That, to me," he said, "is a pretty good definition of great journalism."
In addition to quashing misperceptions that the Pulitzer board was rewarding political messages, Steiger raised three main issues: clarity of sourcing, online journalism and what he described as a "scary environment for today's journalists." The Pulitzer board, he said, consistently believes that readers must have accurate information about news sources. Online journalism, he added, will continue to play a prominent role in the Pulitzers though it is still unclear how this process will develop in terms of expanding eligibility to the vast number of online publications. The environment for journalism is more challenging than ever, he said, citing job cuts, the relentless criticism of reporters by the U.S. government and the physical dangers reporters faced last year in pursuit of their work.
"Amid all these challenges, though, I find special encouragement in this year's Pulitzer awardees," he added. "You are still providing great service to the public."
Before bestowing the awards, University President Lee C. Bollinger made a point of addressing the current tension between the American press and the U.S. government. A well-regarded scholar on free speech and First Amendment issues, Bollinger said, "The government can do whatever it can do to keep information secret, but the press, if it gets its hands on this information, also has First Amendment protection to publish those documents."
Two special citations also were read during the ceremony. The first was for Edmund S. Morgan, the eminent scholar of American history; the other went to jazz legend Thelonious Monk, whose son, Thelonious S. Monk Jr., received the honor on his late father's behalf.
The winners, which Columbia announced on April 17, received a certificate and a $10,000 cash award.
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