'WSJ' Editor: Pulitzer Efforts Had Real Impact

By: Charles Geraci Winning two Pulitzers Monday afternoon for beat and explanatory reporting, The Wall Street Journal was the only paper other than the Los Angeles Times to win more than one award.

"It's an honor to win these two Pulitzers and we're very pleased by it," said Managing Editor Paul Steiger. "Both of the efforts have had real impact. The aneurysm coverage literally saved lives, while the affirmative action coverage may have influenced the Supreme Court's decision in the University of Michigan Law School case."

Deputy Managing Editor Byron E. Calame added, "It's especially important to us to win in the areas of beat and explanatory reporting because we think we have reporters -- covering specific areas -- who day in and day out deliver for our readers," Calame said. "To win in explanatory reporting is gratifying because we have been emphasizing health coverage."

Kevin Helliker and Thomas M. Burton picked up the explanatory award for their reporting on aneurysms. "The series showed how aortic aneurysms are the most common preventable killer that the average American hasn't heard about," Helliker said. "One of the reasons for this ignorance is that physicians themselves often know little about the condition."

The series developed after Helliker was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm.

"The stories have awakened a lot of people in the medical community and the community at large," he said. "The popular perception of aortic aneurysms is that they strike like lightning. But the perception is changing, and I think we've contributed to that."

Helliker is the Journal's Chicago bureau chief. He began his journalism career at the paper in 1982, left a year later, and rejoined the Journal (Click for QuikCap) in 1990. Burton, a reporter in the Chicago bureau, joined the paper in 1990.

Daniel Golden, a senior special writer for the Journal's Boston bureau, took the prize for beat reporting on a series of nine stories mainly covering preferences for affluent, white applicants in college admissions.

"While people criticize affirmative action as benefiting strictly minorities, there are other preferences that usually benefit white applicants that are not criticized," Golden told E&P Monday afternoon.

Before joining the Journal, Golden spent 17 years with The Boston Globe. This is not the first time he has written on affirmative action. In 2002, Golden received first prize in the National Awards for Education Reporting for "The New Affirmative Action," which included a story about preference for Jewish applicants at Vanderbilt University.

Golden joined the paper as a reporter in July 1999 and was named to his current position in August 2000.

"I was particularly pleased that these three reporters won, as they are among our best," Steiger said.

The Journal has now received 29 Pulitzers in the history of the awards.

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