For a distinguished example of meritorious public service by a newspaper through the use of its journalistic resources which, as well as reporting, may include editorials, cartoons, photographs, graphics and online presentation, a gold medal.

Awarded to The New York Times for "A Nation Challenged," a special section published regularly after the September 11th terrorist attacks on America, which coherently and comprehensively covered the tragic events, profiled the victims, and tracked the developing story, locally and globally.

Columbia University President George Rupp (left) presents Jonathan Landman of The New York Times, with the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.

Finalists

Also nominated as finalists in this category were: The Washington Post for the work of Sari Horwitz, Scott Higham and Sarah Cohen for a series that exposed the District of Columbia's role in the neglect and death of 229 children placed in protective care between 1993 and 2000, which prompted an overhaul of the city's child welfare system, and The Washington Post for its sustained and often groundbreaking coverage that informed and aided the nation as it grappled with the complex and varied issues stemming from the September 11th terrorist attacks on America and their aftermath.