Q & A on Category Changes

Three frequently asked questions since the Pulitzer Prizes’ decision to expand the Investigative Reporting, International Reporting, Feature Writing, Criticism and Editorial Cartooning categories for the 2016 Prizes

When you say that some magazines are eligible in these five categories this year, what do you mean?

Only magazines and their websites that adhere to the highest journalism principles and publish at least weekly are qualified to enter. Magazines that publish a print edition less frequently than weekly are eligible if their websites publish news content daily or at least weekly.

Why now?

For several years, the Pulitzer Prize Board has been examining and amending its eligibility rules in response to changes in the way news is delivered. The Pulitzer Board wants to be sure the Pulitzer competition considers and rewards the best journalism published during the year. The current category expansion is the latest step in that process. It recognizes that the trend in magazine journalism is toward timely reporting that used to be the province of daily newspapers.

Why does the Pulitzer Board now allow journalists from organizations ineligible for the Prizes to win awards in certain cases?

This change affects partnerships between Pulitzer-eligible and ineligible organizations. Work by such partnerships can win the Pulitzer Prize only when the eligible organization does the preponderance of the work. Importantly, except for the Public Service prize, Pulitzer Prizes in journalism go to individuals, not nominating organizations. The Pulitzer Board believes the journalists who did the most significant work on a winning project should be recognized by name whether they worked for the eligible or the ineligible partner. The importance of partnerships to the kinds of reporting traditionally recognized by Pulitzer Prizes has increased and will only keep increasing. We think it is important to recognize the value of such partnerships.