Houston selected as Pulitzer juror

Brant Houston, Knight Chair Professor in Investigative and Enterprise Reporting in the Department of Journalism, was a Pulitzer juror for the second year in a row. He helped select the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting. The judging occurred in February in New York City (when the number of U.S. coronavirus cases reported went from 16 to 35).

"Judging the entries with experienced and accomplished journalists is an honor," said Houston, who was a Pulitzer juror for the editorial writing category last year.

"The discussions focus on how well entries meet the standards and best practices of journalism and the debates are smart and civil," he said. "Most of all, the high quality of the stories is reassuring and inspiring and shows that journalists' passion for investigate reporting—finding the truth and serving the public—remains alive and well."

This year's Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting went to Brian M. Rosenthal of the New York Times for an exposé of New York City’s taxi industry that showed how lenders profited from predatory loans that shattered the lives of vulnerable drivers, reporting that ultimately led to state and federal investigations and sweeping reforms.

See more photos of the Pulitzer Prize process: https://www.pulitzer.org/article/2020-pulitzer-prizes-behind-scenes

See this year's Pulitzer Prize winners: https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-year