Pulitzer Prize Winners

Seattle Times staffers have won journalism's highest honor ten times since 1950, and have been finalists on 14 other occasions since 1982.

2014 - Breaking News Reporting

Oso landslide coverage

Awarded to The Seattle Times Staff for its digital account of a landslide that killed 43 people and the impressive follow-up reporting that explored whether the calamity could have been avoided.

2012 – Investigative Reporting

Methadone and the politics of pain

Awarded to Michael J. Berens and Ken Armstrong of The Seattle Times for their investigation of how a little known governmental body in Washington State moved vulnerable patients from safer pain-control medication to methadone, a cheaper but more dangerous drug, coverage that prompted statewide health warnings.

2010 – Breaking News Reporting

Four slain police officers

Awarded to The Seattle Times staff for its comprehensive coverage, in print and online, of the shooting deaths of four police officers in a coffee house and the 40-hour manhunt for the suspect.

1997 – Beat Reporting

Safety at issue: the 737

Awarded to Byron Acohido of The Seattle Times for his coverage of the aerospace industry, notably an exhaustive investigation of rudder control problems on the Boeing 737, which contributed to new FAA requirements for major improvements.

1997 – Investigative Reporting

Tribal housing: from deregulation to disgrace

Awarded to Eric Nalder, Deborah Nelson and Alex Tizon of The Seattle Times for their investigation of widespread corruption and inequities in the federally-sponsored housing program for Native Americans, which inspired much-needed reforms.

1990 – National Reporting

Tankers full of trouble

Awarded to Ross Anderson, Bill Dietrich, Mary Ann Gwinn and Eric Nalder of The Seattle Times for coverage of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and its aftermath.

1984 – Feature Writing

Making it fly

Awarded to Peter Mark Rinearson of The Seattle Times for "Making It Fly," his account of the new Boeing 757 jetliner.

1982 – Local Investigative Specialized Reporting

One man’s battle to clear his name

Awarded to Paul Henderson of The Seattle Times for reporting that proved the innocence of a man convicted of rape.

1975 – Spot News Photography

Lull in the battle

Awarded to Gerald H. Gay of The Seattle Times for his photograph of four exhausted firemen, "Lull in the Battle."

1950 – National Reporting

Communist charges

Awarded to Edwin O. Guthman of The Seattle Times for his series on the clearing of Communist charges against Professor Melvin Rader, who had been accused of attending a secret Communist school.

Pulitzer Finalists

  • September 2007 — Investigative Reporting

Your Courts, Their Secrets

The Seattle Times

Ken Armstrong, Justin Mayo and Steve Miletich exposed how the improper sealing of hundreds of lawsuits hid information vital to public safety. Their series resulted in the unsealing of court files and remedies in the judicial system.

  • September 2007 — Investigative Reporting, 2007

License to Harm

The Seattle Times

Michael J. Berens, Julia Sommerfeld and Carol Ostrom investigated sexual misconduct by health-care professionals. Their efforts included creation of an extensive online database of offenders and caused a tightening of state regulation.

  • September 2004 — Public Service

Coaches Who Prey

The Seattle Times

Christine Willmsen and Maureen O'Hagan revealed sexual misconduct by male coaches who preyed on female students and escaped discipline or prosecution.

  • September 2003 — Investigative Reporting

The Terrorist Within

The Seattle Times

The staff of The Seattle Times blended investigation and evocative storytelling to show how a footloose Algerian boy evolved into a terrorist.

  • September 2003 — Breaking News Reporting

The D.C. sniper arrests

The Seattle Times

The staff of The Seattle Times provided enterprising coverage of the many local connections to the ex-soldier and his teenage companion arrested in the D.C. sniper attacks.

  • September 2002 — Investigative Reporting

Uninformed Consent

The Seattle Times

Duff Wilson and David Heath investigated a local cancer research center, reporting that some patients who died in two failed clinical trials were deprived of essential information about the trials' risks and were given drugs in which the center and its doctors had a financial interest.

  • September 2000 — Breaking News Photography

WTO photo gallery

The Seattle Times

The photo staff of The Seattle Times covered rioting in Seattle's streets that disrupted the annual conference of the World Trade Organization.

  • September 1999 — Explanatory Reporting

Affirmative Action

Tom Brune provided a revealing analysis of the Washington state initiative on affirmative action, challenging accepted notions about practices that had been in place for three decades.

  • September 1998 — Public Service

Fear in the Fields

Duff Wilson disclosed how toxic waste from heavy industries was being recycled as fertilizer.

  • September 1993 — Public Service

U.S. Sen. Brock Adams sexual harassment allegations

Coverage of numerous allegations that U.S. Sen. Brock Adams of Washington had sexually harassed women. Adams subsequently dropped his bid for re-election.

  • September 1990 — Explanatory Journalism

Oil tanker safety

Eric Nalder revealed the failure of industry and government to adequately oversee the shipping of oil.

  • September 1988 — Investigative Reporting

Green River killings

Carlton Smith and Tomas Guillen reported on the mishandled investigation of the Green River killings, the biggest unsolved serial murder case in America.

  • September 1998 — Specialized Reporting

Pacific Salmon's Struggle

Through stories and photographs, Natalie Fobes portrayed the Pacific salmon's struggle to survive man-made hazards.

  • September 1982 — Feature Writing

Eyewitness to Abortion

Erik Lacitis had full access to tell the stories of a doctor whose cause was to provide safe abortions, and of the women who had one.