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The Pulitzer Prize committee has decided not to accept any new media for this year's prize, though they might reconsider next year.
At once the new media community launched an outcry. Examples of good new media work was wheeled out on CD-ROM and online. "How dare they! See, we're just as good as (real) journalists!" They didn't say "real" but some took it that way! "These young pups have a cheek challenging the grandfathers of good writing. Without them they'd be nothing!" they might say. In fact new media journalists rather haughtily feel superior to old media journalists printing on un-interactive paper, hmpf! New media IS better, but no matter what, recognition of a new media journalist would help bring us into the mainstream.
Soon new media journalists started rethinking and led by Jon Katz they began proclaiming that they didn't want a Pulitzer Prize and were proud of it! Rightly so, they saw that new media is different and needed to be judged with different criteria such as interactivity, integrity, design and so on. The best recognition is that which one gets from one's peers and competitors as they know what you're all about and how hard it is to do it. Francis Ford Coppola would rather appreciation from George Lucas than Bill Gates as George knows how hard it was to do what Francis did, Bill might have an idea yet he's never made a movie. Which is why the Academy Awards are so powerful, its recognition by their peers in the film industry.
On a broader view the Pulitzer Prize is from our peers (as in they are journalists) and as we prepare are own prizes I'm sure we would be pleased to be recognised through a Pulitzer. But when the new media awards come, are well established and recognised, then the true appreciation can begin.
So lets start, if you've got ideas for the new media prize, tell me!
By Jeep
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