NEW YORK (AP) – The Associated Press won two Pulitzer Prizes Monday for its coverage of the war in Ukraine, earning recognition for its topical coverage of the Russian invasion, as well as the prestigious public service for its surprising and exclusive — offices of the besieged port city of Mariupol.
AP reporters were also finalists in two Pulitzer categories, for breaking news photography of the political crisis in Sri Lanka and for reporting photography of the impact of the Ukraine war on people big
For the public service award, Pulitzer judges recognized AP — which had the only international reporters in Mariupol for nearly three weeks — for capturing remarkable footage of an injured pregnant woman being rushed to medical aid and Russia firing at civilian targets.
AP’s Mariupol team consisted of video journalist Mstyslav Chernov, photographer Evgeniy Maloletka and video producer Vasilisa Stepanenko in the besieged city and reporter Lori Hinnant in Paris.
Other winners of two Pulitzers each were AL.com of Birmingham, Ala., the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and The Washington Post.
The Pulitzers honor the best journalism in 2022 in 15 categories, as well as eight arts categories focused on books, music and theater. The public service winner receives a gold medal. All other winners receive $15,000.
AL.com’s Kyle Whitmire won a commentary award for “measured and persuasive columns” on Alabama’s Confederate heritage and the legacy of racism.
Alabama colleagues John Archibald, Ashley Remkus, Ramsey Archibald and Challen Stephens won a local reporting award for an investigation into a local police force.
It was a second Pulitzer win for John Archibald, who previously won in 2018 for Commentary, and the first for his son, Ramsey Archibald. Remkus and Stephens were also collecting their second Pulitzers, after being part of a team that won in 2021 for national reporting.
“The recognition is tremendous and we are grateful that our work is being honored on a national stage like this,” Kelly Ann Scott, editor-in-chief and vice president of Alabama Media Group, said in a statement. “This is local journalism at its best, and local journalism is the heartbeat of journalism in this country at large.”
The New York Times received an international reporting award for its coverage of the Russian killings in the Ukrainian city of Bucha. Pulitzers were also given for work surrounding the US Supreme Court’s decision overturning the abortion standard Roe v. Wade, the government’s policy of separating children at the border and welfare spending in Mississippi.
The Washington Post’s Caroline Kitchener won for “unflinching reporting” on the consequences of the abortion decision, including the story of a Texas teenager who gave birth to twins after new restrictions denied her abortion The Post’s Eli Saslow won for feature writing.
The Los Angeles Times won for breaking news for its stories revealing a secretly taped conversation with city officials making racist remarks. The paper’s Christina House won for feature photography, for her images of a pregnant 22-year-old woman living on the streets.
PA coverage of Mariupol, according to the Ukrainian city’s deputy mayor, focused the world’s attention on the devastation there and ultimately pressured the Russians to open an evacuation route, saving thousands of civilian lives.
“They told the world the human toll of this war in its early days,” AP Executive Editor Julie Pace said during a Zoom staff celebration. “They served as a counterweight to Russian disinformation and helped open a humanitarian corridor out of Mariupol with the power of their work.”
The AP team that won for breaking news photography included Maloletka, who was part of the Mariupol coverage, along with Bernat Armangue, Emilio Morenatti, Felipe Dana, Nariman El-Mofty, Rodrigo Abd and Vadim Ghirda.
AP director of photography David Ake credited the winners of the breaking news photography category simply for staying in a war zone to bear witness.
“You can’t make the moment capture the world if you’re not there, and being there is often dirty, difficult and dangerous,” he said.
Pulitzer Prize Board Co-Chair Neil Brown highlighted the dangers journalists face, noting the imprisonment in Russia of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges, that his family and the newspaper vehemently deny. Brown said the board is demanding Gershkovich’s immediate release.
The Atlantic won the Pulitzer Prize for investigative journalism for Caitlin Dickerson’s comprehensive investigation into the Trump administration’s policy of separating parents from children at the US border.
The Wall Street Journal won for its investigation into federal officials who held stocks that could have been affected by government action, including dozens who reported trading stocks in companies shortly before their own agencies announced enforcement actions against them
Mississippi Today’s Anna Wolfe was honored for reporting on a former Mississippi governor sending federal welfare money to family and friends, including NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre.
New York magazine’s Andrew Long Chu won a Pulitzer for criticism. The Miami Herald’s Nancy Ancrum, Amy Driscoll, Luisa Yanez, Isadora Rangell and Lauren Constantino won for editorial writing. Mona Chalabi, a contributor to The New York Times, won for illustrated reporting and commentary. Gimlet Media staff won the audio reports.
The awards were established in the will of newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer and were first awarded in 1917.
