As papers cut biz sections, biz section columnist wins Pulitzer for first time

Mark Fitzgerald of Editor & Publisher notes Tuesday the irony of a business section columnist — Steven Pearlstein of the Washington Post — winning a Pulitzer Prize for the first time during a time when newspapers are cutting their business sections.

Fitzgerald writes, “‘Obviously, I’m thrilled as anyone would be to win the Pulitzer Prize, but there’s a special thrill that this would go to a columnist focusing on the economy and business,’ Pearlstein said Monday night. ‘Perhaps this will give more recognition to those who write about finance and investing.’

“He says the rationalizations that newspapers are offering for cutting back the business newshole, or concentrating only on local business, are ‘nonsensical.’

“‘I frankly don’t understand this,’ Pearlstein said. ‘There is no indication that people are less interested in finance and investing than they used to be — in fact, if anything, it’s the opposite.’

“Many of the columns submitted for the Pulitzer forecast the current credit crisis, something Pearlstein has been warning about as far back as 2006.”

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