For a distinguished example of meritorious public service by a newspaper through the use of its journalistic resources which, as well as reporting, may include editorials, cartoons, photographs, graphics and online presentation, a gold medal.

Awarded to Los Angeles Times for its courageous, exhaustively researched series exposing deadly medical problems and racial injustice at a major public hospital.

Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger (left) presents Charles Ornstein and Tracy Weber of the Los Angeles Times, with the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.

Finalists

Also nominated as finalists in this category were: The Orange County Register for its tenacious investigation into the widespread poisoning of children by lead-tainted Mexican candy, spurring remedial action, and the Pensacola (FL) News Journal for its valiant and innovative coverage, in the newspaper and online, of the coastal devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan.