Joseph Pulitzer
About Him:
Born on April 10, 1847, in Mako Hungary into a wealthy family of Magyar- Jewish origin. Joseph grew up in Budapest and was educated there in private schools and by tutors. In his early years, he decided to become a soldier and tried to enlist in the Austrian Army, Napoleon's Foreign Legion for duty in Mexico, and the British Army for service in India. He was rejected due to his weak eyesight and frail eyes. However, he encountered a bounty recruiter for the U.S. Army in Hamburg, Germany where he contracted to enlist as a substitute for a draftee. This type of procedure was permitted under the Civil War draft system. He was then enlisted for a year in the Lincoln cavalry which worked well for him since there were many Germans in the unit and he was fluent in German and French but only spoke very little English. He soon worked his way to St. Louis where he worked multiple jobs such as muleteer, baggage handler, and waiter. He would continue to spend his free time in the city's Mercantile library where he studied English and the law.
Beginning of his Career:
His first excellent career opportunity came in quite a unique way. He was in the library's chess room observing the game of two regulars where Pulitzer corrected a move and the prayers were impressed, engaging him in conversation. Soon to find out the players were editors of the leading German-language daily and Westliche Post. They offered him a job. This job entitled Pulitzer to build a reputation as a determined enterprising journalist. 4 years later, in 1872 he was offered a controlling interest in the paper. At just age 25 Pulitzer became a publisher and soon followed a series of business deals from which he became the owner of the St. Louis Post- Dispatch, and a rising figure on the journalistic scene in 1878.
He mastered English extremely well as a speaker, writer, and editor. He soon became an American newspaper editor and publisher who helped to establish the pattern of the modern newspaper. In his time he was one of the most powerful journalists in the United States. Pulitzer supported organized labor, attacked trusts and monopolies, and exposed political corruption. He was committed to raising the standards of the journalism profession. Pulitzer worked his day from early morning until late night, interested in every little detail of the paper ensuring it was appealing to the public.
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The Saint Louis Post-Dispatch:
The Morning daily newspaper published in St. Louis soon became one of the most prestigious newspapers in the United States. It Was founded in 1878 when Pulitzer purchased the 15-year-old bankrupt St. Louis Dispatch and merged it with the 3-year-old St. Louis Post of John A. Dillon to form the known St. Louis Post-Dispatch. This paper procured a succession of civic crusades and sensational exposes that attracted a lot of readers. Pulitzer established an “independent, liberal policy from the beginning and took a strong stance against corruption in public office.” The paper continued in the Pulitzer family for years.
New York World:
Pultizer was also involved with New York World. This Daily newspaper was published in New York City from 1860 to 1931. It was established in 1860 as a penny paper with a basic religious orientation. Joseph Pulitzer purchased the newspaper in 1883 and this is when its coverage began to be increasingly flamboyant. The World has been known for its “numerous outstanding reporters, columnist, editors and cartoonist”. However due to heavy losses and price increases the paper was sold and combined with The New York World-Telegram to later be known as the New York World-Journal Tribune, which lasted less than a year. According to Pulitzer.org, he crusaded against public and private corruption, filled the news columns with a series of sensational features, made the first extensive use of illustrations, and staged news stunts. His newspaper, The World, soon became very successful climbing more than 600,000 with all its editions and it reigned as the largest circulating newspaper in the country. However, this lifestyle become very competitive. The publisher of The Sun, Charles Anderson Dana, launched a personal attack on Pulse Tier because of all his success. Charles attacked him as “the jew who had debuted his race and Elgin” trying to alienate New York’s Jewish community from The World. With his declining health continuing in 1890, at the age of 43, he withdrew from the editorship of The World and never returned to its newsroom. He became partially blind, sensitive to noise, and fell into a deep depression.
The Pulitzer Prize:
With all of his accomplishments throughout the journalism world, The Pulitzer Prize has become the most prestigious award in American Journalism. One year after Pulitzer died aboard his yacht in 1912, the Columbia School of Journalism was founded where the Pulitzer Award was administrated. It was established in 1917 from funds endowed by the journalist and newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer. The Pulitzer Prize is the highest national honor in print journalism, literacy achievement, and musical composition. The Pulitzer Prizes are awarded yearly in twenty-one categories. The New York Times has won the most Pulitzer Prizes with 132, winning its first award in 1918.
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