New York, Dec 09: The Pulitzer Prize board, which presents the most prestigious award in US journalism, said it was changing its rules to allow newspapers to submit material published on the Internet.
The move comes as traditional print media face growing competition from the internet and 24-hour television news, which have proved more appealing to younger consumers, prompting a shift by advertisers that has taken its toll on big newspapers.
''The board believes it has taken a significant step in recognition of the widening role of online journalism at newspapers,'' said Sig Gissler, administrator of the Pulitzer prizes. The new rules will go into effect for the 2006 prizes.
The board presents prizes in 14 categories and has allowed online material to be included in one of those, public service, since 1999. Stories and images published on the Internet will now be allowed in all categories.
''In two categories -- breaking news reporting and breaking news photography -- an entry consisting entirely of material published online will be permitted,'' the Pulitzer Prize board said in a statement yesterday.
With circulation falling and intense competition from the Internet, a string of major U.S. Newspaper groups have announced job cuts in recent months, including the New York Times Co and the Tribune Co which owns the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times.
Newspaper readership has been falling for decades and a report last month by the Newspaper Association of America, which analyzed 789 US papers, found average daily circulation for the six-month period ended September 30, 2005, fell to 45.15 million from 46.35 million in the same period a year ago
Bureau Report
