This year marks 100 years of the Pulitzer Prize. The award that recognizes outstanding works in print journalism, literature, music, and drama.
Founded by Joseph Pulitzer, the award has endured the test of time and remains an institution that honors journalists, musicians, poets authors and photographers among others. It also offer scholarship grants to students.
Part of the celebration includes marquee events in Florida, California, Texas and Massachusetts. The Massachusetts event will feature past winners on the historic Sanders Theater at Harvard University with the theme Power: Accountability and Abuse. One of the featured panelists in the discussion is 2-time Pulitzer Prize for Journalism winner and The Washington Post investigative reporter Bob Woodward.
Woodward, regarded as "one of the most resourceful journalists," first won the awards in 1973 with Carl Bernstein for their work in exposing the Watergate Scandal. He bagged the prize again in 2002 for his outstanding coverage of the 9/11 attacks.
In a recent interview with the Harvard Gazette, Woodward expresses his thoughts on the current state of journalism and the media. Woodward believes that journalists are doing a great job, the problem however lies with the message managers who have gained tremendous power and exercises great control over the information that goes out.
The renowned journalist also noted that the internet is being used only for its speed but there's rarely any significance where the stories go. Despite the good he sees, Woodward says we can always do better. The information should lead us to knowing the issues and the personalities better.
"I don't think anyone's succeeded in delegitimizing the press," said Woodward. He believes that the press is doing great work in coming up with valuable information and that it remains true to its commitment in bringing honest reports but is finding hard to do so given all the message managers.
