Pulitzers 2021

An interesting list to say the least.

Here are the winners of the 2021 Pulitzer Prizes - Poynter

 

I'm shocked the NYT's piece on Trump taxes wasn't a finalist in explanatory nor investigative reporting. Besides George Floyd and Covid-19, Trump's taxes was one of the biggest stories of the year.

I'm also surprised the AP's story about palm oil didn't get a nod for International Reporting.

Regardless, this was a great year for local papers.

 

Crossthreading from the “10 years ago, I’d never have thought” … that Buzzfeed would win a Pulitzer.

 

The Louisville staff should have won for the Breanna Taylor coverage.

 

I was especially interested in this other, related link:

Pulitzers award Darnella Frazier a special citation for recording the murder of George Floyd - Poynter

I wouldn't be surprised if there is a new category to be added henceforth that will awarded annually like all the others: the Pulitzer for "citizen journalism."

I'm not actually sure how I feel about Darnella Frazier receiving a special Pulitzer citation, or if, as I suggested, she were to get an actual Pulitzer for her George Floyd video. It's not that I'd dispute the importance of it for what it showed. But I always struggle with the idea that everyone, and anyone, these days, can be videoing and recording anyone, doing anything, anytime, and, given that Frazier was not a journalist, so I don't necessarily think she should be receiving a journalistic award.

It shows how ingrained social media, cell phones and citizen journalism has become.

 

Totally disagree.

 

Obviously the Pulitzer board is expanding and revising their eligibility to reflect the changing world of journalism - note the winners from magazines, websites and other non-daily newspaper types of things. I do think it is important that "impact" be more of a criteria for winners, rather than an obvious deep dive/group effort into some topic/issue that seems more aimed at appealing to Pulitzer board members than really changing things. The George Floyd video changed the conversation about police. Shoot, you had Kirk Herbstreit breaking down on ESPN about it.

 

Definitely noted the magazine winners.

 

In what category?

Local Reporting: The TBT's story, an investigation into a power-hungry sheriff's "intelligence program" to stop future offenders -- something ripped out "Minority Report" -- was stronger, by far.

Breaking News: George Floyd's death was the final straw that led to America's racial reckoning. Minneapolis was ground zero, and the Star Tribune stepped up. Most of the Taylor coverage I and others IRL saw came from national outlets, unfortunately.

I support the citation decision. It's the Pulitzer Board's way of nodding to someone outside of journalism whose video led to many award-winning reporting of George Floyd's death. I highly doubt this sets a precedent for everyone regular Joe on the street to shoot video and hope to nab that sweet, sweet Pulitzer citation.