ProPublica, in a first for an online news organisation, won a coveted Pulitzer prize for investigative reporting today for "The Deadly Choices at Memorial" about controversial deaths at a New Orleans medical center in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
The article by Sheri Fink, written in collaboration with the New York Times Magazine, marked the first time an online news organisation has won the honour, given annually by the Pulitzer Prize Board at Columbia University to mark excellence in journalism, books, drama and poetry.
In another online first, www.sfgate.com, the website of the San Francisco Chronicle, won for editorial cartooning, the first time an internet-based entry has won in that category.
The Washington Post won the most categories, with four Pulitzer prizes.
The newspaper's Anthony Shadid, now with the New York Times, won for international reporting for his articles from Iraq. Gene Weingarten won in feature writing for his story about parents who accidentally kill their children by forgetting them in cars.
Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker won in the commentary category and Sarah Kaufman won in criticism for her writing on dance.
Reporter Michael Moss and members of the New York Times staff won in the explanatory reporting category for writing about contaminated hamburger and food safety issues. Reporter Matt Richtel and Times staff won in the national reporting category for writing about the hazards of using cell phones and computers while driving.
In the public service category, the Herald Courier of Bristol, Virgini won for writing about the "murky mismanagement" of natural gas royalties owed to local landowners, the Pulitzer board said.
Reuters