And the Pulitzer goes to...
We haven't won a Pulitzer Prize, and we won't win one this year. It's not something I think much about, although it would be a wonderful honor because it would mean we all could drink champagne in the newsroom in the middle of the day. The Charlotte, Raleigh, Winston-Salem and little Washington papers have won in recent years. (I don't know if they drank champagne, but if they didn't, they should have.)
Anyway, here are the leaked finalists in two takes, according to Editor & Publisher, which has a huge qualifier: "Although these can't be absolutely confirmed, our information in the past has proven to be remarkably accurate. We have checked some of these selections with editors at some of the respective papers, who confirmed that they had also heard, through the grapevine, that they had reached the finals."
It looks like having a hurricane gave some of the papers a leg up, although it's a fate I don't wish on anyone, except maybe Pedro at South of the Border. The largest papers seem to dominate in many categories, such as national reporting, international reporting and beat reporting.
All that said, I'll always believe that we have some contenders on our staff. Several photographers are top drawer. (I believe we published at least one of the purported photo nominees: the one of the haggard Marine with cigarette.) Lorraine Ahearn is as good as any news columnist I've read. Some of our feature writers best work holds up well. (I'll let Allen sing the praises of our editorial staff.) We continue to work on our public service reporting, not to win a Pulitzer Prize, but because we think it's an important role for the newspaper to play in a community.
And because it might give us a legitimate reason to drink champagne in the middle of the afternoon.
Comments (2)
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Having worked at a paper when it won a Pulitzer, I highly recommend it.
Posted on March 8, 2005 10:10 PM
I had the great good fortune of being hired by the Charlotte Observer, and my first day, my first hour, was when they discovered they had won the Pulitzer for their work on PTL. And I am here to say that champagne was, indeed, flowing.
In fact, we all partying late into the night at what was then called "Jonathan's". Rolfe and Rich were ripe. The night was wondrous.
Sadly, every day thereafter was a major letdown.
One way you could win the Pulitzer is to throw resources at your fine writers and columnists, and let them write the definitive work on blogging. Special print edition AND online, blog-rich, comment-ready edition. Cast your net widely, involve the whole state. Then share it with the state.
Make up for every other newspaper's lost time.
Chuck Shepard, who covered the PTL story, came to work in shorts and sandals, his hair long and shaggy...but that man could write, and he could deliver.
You and your team could deliver as well.
Someone needs to do it.
Might as well be you. The pioneers.
I will hold my breath.
Kind regards,
Dave
Posted on March 8, 2005 11:31 PM