Pulitzer Prizes' Prestige

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Joseph Pulitzer’s Rise

We have all heard of the award aspiring journalists dream of obtaining one day, but many people outside of the field of journalism have never heard of its unlikely origin story. The story of the Pulitzer Prize. 

Joseph Pulitzer was a sharp man of many talents, with a specialty for writing and negotiating deals. His rise to fame at the young age of 25, and prominence in the newspaper industry during the 1800s was attributed to his attention to detail and genuine passion for public service through his works. After moving to New York following his marriage, Pulitzer earned a job as an editorial writer whose pieces sparked debate amongst Americans of all demographics. As a prominent figure in news media in the 1880s, he negotiated the purchase of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and The New York World.
 
This was an exciting time period in Pulitzer’s life because he was rising in popularity, stirring American political debate, and raising the level of competition amongst newspapers in America. Pulitzer was contributing to a major shift in journalism, which started involving women and ordinary members of society in conversation, rather than staying exclusive to topics only businessmen would find interest in. 

Raising the bar even higher, newspapers discussing both sides of political issues or remaining neutral on issues was a change during Pulitzer’s rise in fame. Papers using this writing technique saw increased engagement and purchase of their paper. 


Joseph Pulitzer’s Purpose 

Pulitzer specialized in editorials "against dishonest government, a fierce, hawk-like competitor who did not shrink from sensationalism in circulation struggles, and a visionary who richly endowed his profession."  Seeking justice by uncovering corruption to the public, combined with his knack for writing is what gave the Pulitzer Prize such deep and well-recognized meaning. Today, Pulitzer prize winners are held in high regard because it means their work has passed the toughest of excellence standards, and has benefited the public in some way. His dedication to these types of journalism and their importance has been accentuated by the Board of the Pulitzer Prizes' decisions to award "more awards in journalism would go to exposure of corruption than to any other subject.” 




With the outline left in his will, Pulitzer designed the Pulitzer Prizes in Journalism, the Pulitzer Prize Board, and the categories of awards. It was laid out to be flexible as times and society changed, which we can see through the expansion of categories that now extend to online-only mediums rather than just print, as well as music entries. 

But even throughout the change of time, the Pulitzer Prize has stayed true to its goal of supporting journalism from a variety of platforms to bring awareness and give recognition to underreported, well-deserving stories that address global issues since its establishment. 


The Evolution of the Pulitzer Prize 

There was a major shift in 1998 with the Pulitzer Prizes with the goal to attract a larger audience. Jazz music started to be recognized in music recordings, which reflected changing culture in America. 

The Significance of the Pulitzer Prize 

Obtaining a Pulitzer Prize is an accolade that comes with prestige. Any journalist, musician, or photographer who receives such a recognition is held with high esteem in the world of media, and the name is well-known enough across our nation that it holds meaning with others who do not even follow media. 

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