Pulitzer's Gold: As journalism faces new challenges, a look at the past and future of America’s best work — winners of the Pulitzer Public Service Prize
Top executives and staffers from The New York Times and the Associated Press discuss their prize-winning work with Roy Harris, author of the book Pulitzer’s Gold: A Century of Public Service Journalism. Beyond looking at the “backstories” of great Pulitzer winners, Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger and AP chief executive Gary Pruitt join investigative reporters from both news organizations to consider how media public service must adjust to today’s political and financial challenges.
Margie Mason
In this 2016 centennial year for the Pulitzers, the AP won the Pulitzer Public Service Gold Medal for its courageous series “Seafood from Slaves.” Reporter Margie Mason was a key member of a four-woman team conducting an impactful global investigation.
David Barstow
Appearing from the reporting staff of The Times — the news organization that was the very first Pulitzer Public Service honoree, in 1918 — is David Barstow. He is the winner of three Pulitzer Prizes, including the Public Service Gold Medal for Public Service for his reporting on workplace safety. Most recently Barstow was involved with breaking stories about presidential candidate Donald Trump’s taxes.
Brief bios
Roy J. Harris Jr.
Roy J. Harris Jr. spent over two decades as a Wall Street Journal reporter, including six years as deputy chief of its Los Angeles bureau. He then spent thirteen years as senior editor of The Economist's CFO Magazine. Early in his career, he reported for the Los Angeles Times and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He lives in Hingham, Massachusetts.
Arthur Sulzberger Jr.
Arthur Sulzberger Jr., chairman of The New York Times Co. since 1997 and publisher of The Times since 1992, has helped shape innovative print and online initiatives to keep the paper competing successfully in the 21st century global media marketplace. During his tenure as publisher, The Times has earned 53 Pulitzer Prizes. Before coming to The Times in 1978 as a correspondent in its Washington bureau, he was a reporter with North Carolina’s Raleigh Times, and a London correspondent for The Associated Press. Sulzberger earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Tufts University in 1974, and is a 1985 graduate of the Harvard Business School's Program for Management Development.
Gary Pruitt
Gary Pruitt became president and chief executive officer of the Associated Press in 2012 after serving three terms on the AP board, including as vice chairman. Under his leadership, AP has continued its long legacy of fighting for press freedom and the public’s right to know. Prior to AP, Pruitt was chairman, president and CEO of The McClatchy Company, the nation’s third largest newspaper company. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Florida, and has a master’s in public policy and a law degree from the University of California, Berkeley. Pruitt has received the Constitution Project’s Champion Award for his work defending the First Amendment, and also the Radio Television Digital News Foundation’s First Amendment Award.