New York Times wins record seven Pulitzer Prizes, including public service

<br>NEW YORK (AP) _ The New York Times won a record seven Pulitzer Prizes on Monday, including the public service award for ``A Nation Challenged,'' a daily stand-alone section on the aftermath

Monday, April 8th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) _ The New York Times won a record seven Pulitzer Prizes on Monday, including the public service award for ``A Nation Challenged,'' a daily stand-alone section on the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the war in Afghanistan.

The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times each won two of journalism's most prestigious awards in a year when eight of the 14 prizes went to coverage of the attacks and their aftermath.

In awarding the public service prize, the Pulitzer Board said The New York Times ``coherently and comprehensively covered the tragic events, profiled the victims and tracked the developing story, locally and globally.''

In breaking news reporting, the staff of The Wall Street Journal won for its coverage of the attacks on the World Trade Center under the most difficult of circumstances, when the newsroom blocks from the twin towers was forced to evacuate.

In investigative reporting, three writers for The Washington Post won for a series that exposed the District of Columbia's role in the neglect and deaths of 229 children placed in protective care.

The staff of The New York Times won the explanatory reporting award for its coverage before and after the Sept. 11 attacks that profiled the global terrorism network and the threats it posed.

For beat reporting, Gretchen Morgenson of The New York Times won for her coverage of Wall Street that the judges called ``trenchant and incisive.''

For national reporting, the staff of The Washington Post won for comprehensive coverage of the war on terrorism.

In international reporting, Barry Bearak of The New York Times won for what the Pulitzer Board called his ``deeply affecting and illuminating coverage'' of daily life in war-torn Afghanistan.

The New York Times also won both photography awards. The breaking news award was for coverage of the Sept. 11 attacks and their impact on New York. The feature award was for photographs chronicling the ``pain and perseverance'' of the peoples of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In commentary, Thomas Friedman of The New York Times won for his columns on the worldwide impact of the terrorist threat.

Barry Siegel of the Los Angeles Times won for feature writing for what the board called his ``humane and haunting'' portrait of a man tried for negligence in the death of his son, and the unusual connection of the judge to the case.

The criticism award went to Justin Davidson of Newsday for his coverage of classical music.

In editorial writing, Alex Raksin and Bob Sipchen of the Los Angeles Times won for their ``comprehensive and powerfully written'' pieces exploring the issues and dilemmas facing the mentally ill homeless.

The editorial cartooning prize was won by Clay Bennett of The Christian Science Monitor.

Each award is worth $7,500, except in the public service category in which a gold medal is given to the paper.