'James' wins 2025 Pulitzer Prize for fiction
NPR Online NewsAPR 23
Pulitzer Prize 2025: New York Times Wins 4, New Yorker 3
Above: A view of the New York Times building in New York City on July 16, 2024. Image copyright: Jakub Porzycki/Contributor/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Amid mounting threats to press freedom and financial pressures facing journalism, the Pulitzer Prize recognizes those who have nonetheless pursued the craft with excellence. It is the industry's most prestigious and coveted recognition.
Establishment-critical narrative
At a time when mainstream media is less trusted than ever, the Pulitzer Prize is a vain exercise in self-congratulation for out-of-touch elites who often reinforce establishment narratives rather than challenge them.