The 2025 Pulitzer Prize Journalism Competition: A précis for entrants

The 2025 Pulitzer Prize competition in Journalism (recognizing work published in the 2024 calendar year) has opened. Entries must be received by the Jan. 27, 2025, deadline (at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time); a full list of all 15 Journalism categories is available here.

As a reminder, the 2025 Pulitzer Prize winners and nominated finalists in Journalism and the Books, Drama & Music categories will be announced on Monday, May 5, 2025, at 3 p.m. Eastern time.

While the entry rules remain unchanged this year, several modifications (including eligibility expansion to the websites of broadcast news organizations) were implemented last year. Our Submission Guidelines, Requirements and FAQs and Technical Requirements delineate these important updates to the competition.

As a reminder:

• The Editorial Cartooning category is now called Illustrated Reporting and Commentary. Expanded in 2021, it recognizes "a distinguished portfolio of editorial cartoons or other illustrated work (still, animated, or both) characterized by political insight, editorial effectiveness, or public service value."
• The number of items that may be included in each entry also was changed in 2021. In the Public Service, Feature Photography, Breaking News Photography and Illustrated Reporting and Commentary categories, the maximum number of items that can be included is 15; for other prize categories, a maximum of seven items will be allowed per entry. Feature Writing will continue to allow a total of five items per entry.
• Text-based entries from U.S. broadcast media sites are now eligible. Digital news sites operated by broadcast and audio organizations are now eligible in most Journalism categories. As noted above, entries from these organizations should rely essentially on written journalism. Video-only entries remain ineligible in all categories. Additionally, audio and broadcast media organizations may not enter work in the Breaking News Photography or Feature Photography categories.
• Instagram? No. Substack? Yes. Although social media posts may be included in the required Breaking News Reporting timeline or embedded contextually in submitted news items, entries consisting solely of social media posts (whether from an independent publisher or a news organization) remain ineligible. Staff-based and self-published newsletters disseminated via Substack, Medium and similar platforms are generally eligible in a manner analogous to other news sites. However, the Administrator may reject entries from newsletter platform-based publications that do not meet our eligibility requirements (including but not limited to a United States-based imprimatur and adherence to the standards of professional journalism).
• New and irregular entrants should be cognizant of last year's substantial revisions to the Breaking News Photography and Feature Photography eligibility requirements. Entries in Breaking News Photography and Feature Photography must now also include original, unedited (i.e. as recorded by the camera) versions of the submitted images. Screenshots of camera-recorded images are not accepted. A prompt on the entry form will enable entrants to submit folders with the camera-recorded images via file-sharing platforms. Please note that camera-recorded images also must be provided for photos entered as discrete entry items in non-Photography categories (such as Public Service or Explanatory Reporting). Proof of publication is still required in all Photography entries and for photos entered in non-Photography categories.
• Audio Reporting entries may not exceed a total of five hours of recorded material. Additional materials may be included in the supplemental file, with the caveat that they may or may not be reviewed at the jury's discretion.
• Complete transcripts for each Audio Reporting entry are required. These must be submitted in a separate uploader in the portal. You will not be able to complete an entry in the category until the transcript file is furnished. As noted above, Audio Reporting entries may not exceed a total of five hours of recorded material.
• Besides corrections, any significant revisions to stories submitted as URLs must be identified and summarized in the entry. 
• Many entry inquiries are increasingly complex and may require adjudication by the Administrator or other members of the Pulitzer Board. Accordingly, please direct them in writing to pulitzer@pulitzer.org if at all possible. Although we endeavor to respond to most correspondence, major exigencies (particularly during the week immediately preceding the deadline) and novel problems must be prioritized over basic recapitulations of the submission requirements. Please read these materials before contacting us.