Pulitzer prize

The Pulitzer Prizes are honored for achievements in print and online journalism, literature, and music composition in the United States of America. They were established in 1917 according to the provisions of the will of the American publisher of Jewish and Hungarian origin Joseph Pulitzer. Columbia University in New York City is in charge of its administration.

Awards are given each year in twenty-two categories, including on certain occasions additional special recognition. In twenty of these, winners receive a certificate and $10,000 in cash, while the winner in the service category public of the journalism contest obtains a gold medal.

History

In his will, Joseph Pulitzer called for the creation of this prize with the goal of stimulating excellence. Pulitzer listed in that text only thirteen prizes: four for journalism, literature and theater plus one for education. Sensitive to the changes of his time, Pulitzer nonetheless foresaw the constitution of an advisory watchdog commission with the power to supersede certain issues as long as the commission judged it would be in the public interest. Pulitzer gave the commission the right not to award a prize if no work meets the jury's criteria of excellence.

According to Pulitzer's will, it is the president of Columbia University who announces and awards prizes based on the jury's recommendation, but in reality, the commission is independent and decides the attribution alone.

The Pulitzers were first awarded on June 4, 1917. Since then they have been awarded by Columbia University in collaboration with the Pulitzer Prize Board every year, without interruption, during April.

The award for best press photography was first awarded in 1942, and for best musical composition in 1943.

Between 1970 and 1979, those for essays, criticism, and literary fiction were created.

Only reports and photos from newspapers headquartered in the United States may be nominated for the journalism category.

A check for $10,000 (USD) accompanies the award, except for the most important Public Service Award, which is awarded the gold medal.

Categories

Definitions of the Pulitzer Prize categories as presented in the December 2017 Award Plan:

• Public ServicePublic Service) - For a distinguished example of newspaper with a meritorious and outstanding public service through the use of its journalistic resources, which may include editorials, comic strips and photographs, as well as articles and reports.
• Latest Time News Reports (Breaking News Reporting) - For an outstanding example of local coverage of last-minute news.
• Journalism of Research (Investigative Reporting) - For an outstanding example of individual research reporting or a work team, presented as an isolated article or as a series of articles.
• Explanatory report (Explanatory Reporting) - For an outstanding example of well-explained reporting characterized by detailed and maintained follow-up on a specific activity or topic.
• Local JournalismLocal Reporting) - For an outstanding example of reporting on topics of local interest, in which the originality and expertise of the community is demonstrated, using any available journalistic tool.
• National JournalismNational Reporting) - For an outstanding example of reporting on United States internal affairs.
• International JournalismInternational Reporting) - For a distinguished example of reporting on international issues, including correspondence with the United Nations Organization (UN), through journalist Paul Watson (journalist)
• Special scripture (Feature Writing) - By the writing of distinguished features, which give a primary consideration to the quality of writing, originality and concision, using any available journalistic tool.
• Commentary (Commentary) - For a featured commentator.
• Criticism (Criticism) - For an outstanding critique.
• Editorial (Editorial Writing) - By an outstanding editorial, with excellent texts and soundness, clear style, moral purposes, and power of influence in public opinion.
• Editorial cartoon (Editorial Cartooning) - For a distinguished cartoon or comic strip or compilation of strips published during the year, characterized by originality, editorial effectiveness, quality of drawings, and pictorial effects.
• Latest Time News Photographs (Breaking News Photography) - For an outstanding example of black and white photographs on last-minute news, which may consist of one or more photographs, a sequence or an album.
• Featured photograph (Feature Photography) - For a distinguished example of black and white photography, which can consist of a photograph or photographs, a sequence or an album on a background theme.

There are also six categories for letters:

• Biography or autobiographyBiography) - For a distinguished biography or autobiography of American author.
• Fiction (Fiction) - For a distinguished fiction work by an American author, preferably related to life in the United States.
• General and Non-Fiction WorksGeneral Nonfiction) - For a distinguished work of non-fiction of an American author who cannot contest in another category.
• History (History) - For a distinguished work on the history of the United States.
• Poetry (Poetry) - For an entire volume containing a distinguished original verse from an American author.
• Drama (Drama) - for a distinguished work of an American playwright, preferably original in its source and dealing with American life.

In humanities there are two added categories:

• Theatre
• Music (Music)

There have been many special mentions and awards. In addition to the awards, four outstanding students from the Pulitzer Graduate School of Journalism, selected by faculty, are awarded travel scholarships.

The new times

The board that awards the Pulitzer Prize every year as a journalistic distinction in view of the fact that newspapers increasingly use the Internet to disseminate, support and highlight their work, granted an award for published works as of April 17, 2006 on the net.^{[citation needed]}

The most prestigious Public Service category has already accepted material from the Internet since 1999. This category will continue to accept work over the Internet, including video, databases, and timelines. The novelty is that the other 13 journalism categories allowed content from the network for the first time.

Awards that are no longer awarded

Over the years, some awards have stopped being awarded, either because they have been expanded or renamed, or because they have been made obsolete by technological advances. They were the prizes of:

• Postal Correspondence
• Divulgative Journalism (it became the Divulgative Reporting)
• General Assembly reports
• Local News Reports
• Local Specialized Research Reports
• Local journalism
• Local reports, on time for edition
• Local Reports, Time for the Edition
• Photography (it became the featured Photography)
• International reports by Telegraph (it became the Journalism of International Affairs)
• Pulitzer de Reportajes nacionales (pasó a ser el de Periodismo Nacional)
• Novela (it became the Literary Works of Fiction)

Criticism and studies

Some critics of the Pulitzer Prize have accused the organization of favoring those who support progressive causes or oppose conservative causes. Syndicated columnist L. Brent Bozell said that the Pulitzer has a "progressive legacy", particularly in its commentary award. He pointed to a 31-year period in which only five conservatives won awards for commentary. The claim is also backed up by a statement from the 2010 Pulitzer winner for her comments, Kathleen Parker: "It's only because I'm a conflicted conservative that I'm now recognized."

A 2012 academic study by journalism professor Yong Volz and Chinese University journalism professor Francis Lee found that "only 27% of Pulitzer winners since 1991 were women, while newsrooms are 33% women". They were more likely to have traditional academic experience, such as attending Ivy League schools, metropolitan education, or employment with an elite publication such as the New York Times. The findings suggest that a higher level of training and connection is required for a female candidate to receive the award, compared to their male counterparts.

In April 2018, the writer Junot Díaz was elected president, who resigned a few days later after being accused of sexual assault against a girl.

The Pulitzer and popular culture

• To the graphic adventure by computer Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders from the company LucasArts, 1988, a journalist named Zack McCracken tries to win the prize.
• Homer Simpson won the Pulitzer for hanging a flat on gossip on the internet in the episode of The Simpsons: "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes."
• In the comic SupermanClark Kent, Lois Lane, and Perry White are described as winners of the Pulitzer Prize.
• On the TV show The West Wing of the White HouseReporter Danny Concannon is a winner of the Pulitzer Prize.
• In the movie Discovering Forrester Sean Connery is William Forrester, a writer who won the Pulitzer Prize.
• In the movie Scream Geil Geders continues to mention the Pulitzer Prize.
• In the series Supergirl, the character played by actor Mehcad Brooks, Jimmy Olsen is the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for making a photograph of Superman.
• In the movie The Weather ManNicholas Cage's father, played by Michael Caine won the Pulitzer Prize for being a writer.
• The protagonist of the animated series The CriticJay Sherman, winner of several Pulitzer Awards.
• In the movie Jurassic Park II photographer Nick Van Owen aspires to win a Pulitzer with a photograph of a dinosaur.
• In Batman (1989 film) by Tim Burton, Vicky Vale and Alexander Knox long to win the Pulitzer Prize with an article on Batman.
• In the movie The Man of Steel The journalist at the Daily Planet Lois Lane is the winner of a Pulitzer Prize.
• In the movie Hangman (film) journalist Christi Davies (interpreted by Brittany Snow) identifies herself as the winner of the Pulitzer Prize.
• The rapper Kendrick Lamar won a presea in the "Best Composition" category for his album DAMN. in 2018, making it the first artist to win in another genre other than jazz or classical music.
• In the book Final Judgment by writer John Katzenbach, his protagonist Matthew Cowart is the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for publishing an article in a Miami newspaper.
• The series LuciferThe character played by Patrick Fabian, Reese Getty, is the Pulitzer Prize winner.
• In the series Supergirl, Kara Danvers, character played by Melissa Benoist, is the winner of the Pulitzer Prize, for his research and article written against Lex Luthor.
• In the first episode of the series "V. La Miniserie Original", journalist Kristine Walsh (Jenny Sullivan) is named Official Speaker of Visitors. This explains to her boyfriend, also journalist Mike Donovan (Marc Singer), who has the journalistic obligation to accept that position since, at the time the Visitors leave, he can, at least, write a book telling his experience, a book that could, almost certainly, win a Pulitzer Prize, given the first and exclusivity of telling the public an experience and experiences of such an extent.

• In the sixth episode of the general series (or first episode of "V. The Series"), a similar scene is repeated when Mike Donovan tells Martin (Frank Ashmoore) that condemns her for having stolen the helicopter from a television studio would be compensated with a Pulitzer Prize if with theft they managed to find out, locate and photograph Diana's hiding place (Jane Badler), escaped and profugated from justice.