The University of Arizona School of Journalism has presented ProPublica's executive chairman Paul Steiger with its 2014 John Peter and Anna Catherine Zenger Award.
The prize honors journalists who fight for freedom of the press and the people's right to know. Past recipients have included Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, Walter Cronkite and Bill Moyers.
"Like the Zengers, my colleagues at ProPublica passionately believe in the people's right to the truth and the importance of a free and energetic press to dig it out," Steiger said. "I see this award as celebrating the work of the men and women of ProPublica, who strive every day to shine a spotlight on abuse of power and failure to uphold the public interest, and by so doing equip our democracy with the tools for self-improvement."
Steiger has previously served as the chairman of the Committee to Protect Journalists, a nonprofit that advocates for press freedom, and is a member of the steering committee of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press in Arlington, Va., which provides free legal assistance to journalists. During his time as managing editor of the Wall Street Journal from 1991 to 2007, members of the newsroom staff were awarded 16 Pulitzer Prizes. He also led ProPublica to two Pulitzer Prizes as our founding editor-in-chief and CEO in 2010 and 2011.
You can read more about the Zenger award here. Congratulations, Paul.
