Pulitzer award : It has been a topic of controversy ever since it’s inception. The Pulitzer Prizes were conceived in a 1902 brainstorm by their benefactor, Pulitzer, the owner of the wildly successfulNew York Worldand other newspapers.

Pulitzer Award and Journalism

The awards are usually distributed for media writers, young journalists, courageous journalists, black journalists and journalism, innovative journalism, works that right wrongs, human interest stories, superior journalism, public interest journalism, and public interest magazine journalism.

Still more prizes are distributed for electronic journalism, features journalism, children and family’s journalism, disability journalism, science journalism, international journalism, political writing, intrepid journalism, excellence in journalism, journalism has done using social science research methods, data journalism, and journalism that unmasks corruption.

Works-in-progress have a special prize, as do works that address social justice, or advance ethical reporting.

This is just a short-list as there are prizes for contests celebrating the journalism of food, travel, sports (with separate awards for coverage on each sport!), the environment, women, and health care exist. Local and regional prizes can be found in profusion.

There are student prizes galore, press-club honors, internal company awards, and photojournalism awards. Then comes the cataract of the big “name” prizes from the American Society of Magazine Editors, Scripps Howard, the Emmys, the Society of Professional Journalists, duPont-Columbia, the American Society of News Editors, the Overseas Press Club, and the Loebs, which splash down every prize season to replenish newsroom egos.

The Pulitzer Prize, awarded every year for achievements in journalism, literature, and Art in 21 categories, comprises a certificate and a $15,000 cash award.

The Pulitzer Award this Year

This year, the Pulitzer Prize for best feature photography has been awarded to three Associated Press (AP) photographers — Mukhtar Khan and Dar Yasin from Kashmir and Channi Anand from Jammu,

“for their striking images of life in the contested territory of Kashmir as India revoked its independence, executed through a communications blackout”.

It sparked controversy as Jammu and Kashmir have always been a part of India, constitutionally and legally since 1947 when their prince Maharaja Hari Singh signed his instrument of accession which was also ratified later by the Government of the State.

The Central government last year in August, revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, bringing it at par with other states of India.

In view of threats of violence and terrorism sponsored by Pakistan, the government imposed communication restrictions. However, the Indian media was largely allowed to report and record life through the lockdown in Jammu and Kashmir.

Aarti Singh Tikoo, Kashmiri journalist has outlined the apathy of terror victims in the valley which has been overlooked for over 30 years by human rights activists and world media. Speaking during the US House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on ‘Human Rights in South Asia’, she said,

“The fundamental point that I am trying to make is the victims in Kashmir are the ones who have been killed and massacred by Pakistani sponsored terrorists. The number of Kashmiri Muslims who have been killed in Kashmir is immense and they have been victimized by the Pakistani terror state”.

In her outrageous tweets, she says,

“No Pulitzer for journalists who captured pictures of children whose parents were massacred by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. No Pulitzer because no journos cared to take pics of the kids blown up due to IEDs planted by Hizb, Lashkar & Jaish. No Pulitzer because no one lobbied.”

The tweets were also accompanied by comments and pictures where people believe her pictures weren’t ‘Pulitzer worthy’.

How can you honestly judge a piece of journalism against others unless they all cover the same subject? Even then, it would be a stretch.

Although the judging process has changed over the years, the outcomes are difficult to justify. The Pulitzer has largely been partisan in its existence and does not justify or enunciate the true purpose of journalism; to create awareness.

This also brings to light how misinformed journalism can fan the flames of a free reigned democracy.

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