2010 Pulitzer Prize

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The 2010 Pulitzer Prizes were awarded on Monday, April 12, 2010. In journalism, The Washington Post won four awards while The New York Times won three.{{cite news|author=Pérez-Peña, Richard|title=Washington Post Wins 4 Pulitzers, New York Times Gets 3|url=http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/washington-post-wins-four-pulitzers-new-york-times-gets-three/ |date=April 12, 2010|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 12, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100415054252/http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/washington-post-wins-four-pulitzers-new-york-times-gets-three/| archive-date= 15 April 2010 | url-status= live}} For the first time, an online source, ProPublica, won in what had previously been the sole province of print. A musical, Next to Normal, won the Drama award for the first time in 14 years.{{cite news|author=Adam Hetrick |title=Next to Normal Wins 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/138657-Next-to-Normal-Wins-2010-Pulitzer-Prize-for-Drama |publisher=Playbill |date=April 12, 2010 |access-date=13 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415203508/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/138657-Next-to-Normal-Wins-2010-Pulitzer-Prize-for-Drama |archive-date=15 April 2010 |url-status=dead }} Country singer-songwriter Hank Williams, who died at age 29 in 1953, received a special citation.{{cite press release|title=Pulitzer Prize Board Awards Special Citation to Hank Williams, Country Music Icon|date=April 12, 2010|url=http://www.pulitzer.org/files/2010williams.pdf|format=PDF|publisher=Columbia University |access-date=April 12, 2010}} The winner(s) in each category are:

Journalism

  • Pulitzer Prize for Public Service to Bristol Herald Courier, Virginia, "for the work of Daniel Gilbert in illuminating the murky mismanagement of natural-gas royalties owed to thousands of land owners in southwest Virginia, spurring remedial action by state lawmakers."{{cite web|title=Pulitzer Prize for Public Service |url=http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Public-Service |publisher=Pulitzer.org |access-date=12 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415132320/http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Public-Service |archive-date=15 April 2010 |url-status=live }}
  • Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting to The Seattle Times staff "for its comprehensive coverage, in print and online, of the shooting deaths of four police officers in a coffee house and the 40-hour manhunt for the suspect."{{cite web|title=Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News |url=http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Breaking-News-Reporting |publisher=Pulitzer.org |access-date=12 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415132225/http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Breaking-News-Reporting |archive-date=15 April 2010 |url-status=live }}
  • Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting to Barbara Laker and Wendy Ruderman of the Philadelphia Daily News "for their resourceful reporting that exposed a rogue police narcotics squad, resulting in an FBI probe and the review of hundreds of criminal cases tainted by the scandal" and Sheri Fink of ProPublica, in collaboration with The New York Times Magazine for a story that chronicles the urgent life-and-death decisions made by one hospital's exhausted doctors when they were cut off by the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina.{{cite web|title=Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting |url=http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Investigative-Reporting |publisher=Pulitzer.org |access-date=12 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415132305/http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Investigative-Reporting |archive-date=15 April 2010 |url-status=live }}
  • Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory ReportingMichael Moss and members of The New York Times staff "for relentless reporting on contaminated hamburger and other food safety issues that, in print and online, spotlighted defects in federal regulation and led to improved practices."{{cite web|title=Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting |url=http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Explanatory-Reporting |publisher=Pulitzer.org |access-date=12 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415132749/http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Explanatory-Reporting |archive-date=15 April 2010 |url-status=live }}
  • Pulitzer Prize for Local ReportingRaquel Rutledge of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "for her 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."{{cite web|title=Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting |url=http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Local-Reporting |publisher=Pulitzer.org |access-date=12 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415132310/http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Local-Reporting |archive-date=15 April 2010 |url-status=live }}
  • Pulitzer Prize for National ReportingMatt Richtel and members of The New York Times staff "for incisive work, in print and online, on the hazardous use of cell phones, computers and other devices while operating cars and trucks, stimulating widespread efforts to curb distracted driving."{{cite web|title=Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting |url=http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-National-Reporting |publisher=Pulitzer.org |access-date=12 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415132315/http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-National-Reporting |archive-date=15 April 2010 |url-status=live }}
  • Pulitzer Prize for International ReportingAnthony Shadid of The Washington Post "for his rich, beautifully written series on Iraq as the United States departs and its people and leaders struggle to deal with the legacy of war and to shape the nation's future."{{cite web|title=Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting |url=http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-International-Reporting |publisher=Pulitzer.org |access-date=12 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415132300/http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-International-Reporting |archive-date=15 April 2010 |url-status=live }}
  • Pulitzer Prize for Feature WritingGene Weingarten of The Washington Post "for his haunting story about parents, from varying walks of life, who accidentally kill their children by forgetting them in cars."{{cite web|title=Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing |url=http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Feature-Writing |publisher=Pulitzer.org |access-date=12 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415132250/http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Feature-Writing |archive-date=15 April 2010 |url-status=live }}
  • Pulitzer Prize for CommentaryKathleen Parker of The Washington Post "for her perceptive, often witty columns on an array of political and moral issues, gracefully sharing the experiences and values that lead her to unpredictable conclusions."{{cite web|title=Pulitzer Prize for Commentary |url=http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Commentary |publisher=Pulitzer.org |access-date=12 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415035632/http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Commentary |archive-date=15 April 2010 |url-status=live }}
  • Pulitzer Prize for CriticismSarah Kaufman of The Washington Post "for her refreshingly imaginative approach to dance criticism, illuminating a range of issues and topics with provocative comments and original insights."[http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Criticism The Pulitzer Prizes | Citation]
  • Pulitzer Prize for Editorial WritingTod Robberson, Colleen McCain Nelson, and William McKenzie of The Dallas Morning News "for their relentless editorials deploring the stark social and economic disparity between the city's better-off northern half and distressed southern half."[http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Editorial-Writing The Pulitzer Prizes | Citation]
  • Pulitzer Prize for Editorial CartooningMark Fiore, self syndicated, appearing on SFGate.com for "his biting wit, extensive research and ability to distill complex issues set a high standard for an emerging form of commentary."[http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Editorial-Cartooning The Pulitzer Prizes | Citation]
  • Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News PhotographyMary Chind of The Des Moines Register "for her photograph of the heart-stopping moment when a rescuer dangling in a makeshift harness tries to save a woman trapped in the foaming water beneath a dam."[http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Breaking-News-Photography The Pulitzer Prizes | Citation]
  • Pulitzer Prize for Feature PhotographyCraig F. Walker of The Denver Post "for his intimate portrait of a teenager who joins the Army at the height of insurgent violence in Iraq, poignantly searching for meaning and manhood."[http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2010-Feature-Photography The Pulitzer Prizes | Citation]

Letters, Drama and Music

Special Citation

Hank Williams "for his craftsmanship as a songwriter who expressed universal feelings with poignant simplicity and played a pivotal role in transforming country music into a major musical and cultural force in American life."[http://www.pulitzer.org/node/8501 The Pulitzer Prizes | Pulitzer Prize luncheon honors 2011 winners]

Controversy

Next to Normal, the winner of the Drama Prize, was not on the list of three candidates submitted to the twenty-member Pulitzer Prize board by the five-member Drama jury.{{cite news|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/pulitzer-juror-criticizes-choice-for-drama-prize/ |work=The New York Times |first=Patrick |last=Healy |title=Pulitzer Juror Criticizes Choice for Drama Prize |date=April 13, 2010 |access-date=13 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100417010415/http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/pulitzer-juror-criticizes-choice-for-drama-prize/ |archive-date=17 April 2010 |url-status=live }} It was added to the candidate pool after several of the board members attended a performance of the musical the night before the voting deadline and was selected as the winner by at least three-quarters of the board members.{{cite news|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/pultizer-board-members-saw-normal-night-before-vote/ |work=The New York Times |first=Patrick |last=Healy |title=Pulitzer Board Members Saw ‘Normal' Night Before Vote |date=April 13, 2010 |access-date=13 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415121216/http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/pultizer-board-members-saw-normal-night-before-vote/ |archive-date=15 April 2010 |url-status=live }} Jury chairman Charles McNulty publicly criticized the Board for its "geographic myopia" and "failure to appreciate new directions in playwriting" for overlooking the three plays that were not running on Broadway at the time of the Award in favor of one that was.[http://theenvelope.latimes.com/la-et-pulitzer-mcnulty-20100413,0,3224899.story] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415050116/http://theenvelope.latimes.com/la-et-pulitzer-mcnulty-20100413%2C0%2C3224899.story |date=April 15, 2010 }}

References

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