Following 14th Pulitzer, Tampa Bay Times leaders will discuss future of the paper on Friday

Last week, the Tampa Bay Times took home its 14th Pulitzer Prize for its “Poisoned” investigation into Tampa Bay’s Gopher Resource lead smelter.

For their efforts, reporters Corey G. Johnson (who’s leaving the Times for ProPublica) Rebecca Woolington and Eli Murray got hurrahs from journalism insiders, and some prize money since winners from the 15 journalism categories are each awarded $15,000.

Outgoing Times Chairman Paul Tash added that, “We do this difficult work to make a difference here at home, but it’s thrilling that our peers judge it among the finest journalism in America.”

This Friday over lunch at the Cuban Club in Ybor City, Tash—making his first joint appearance with Conan Gallaty who’ll succeed him as chairman this summer—is supposed to talk candidly with Tampa Tiger Bay Club about whether or not Pulitzers can boost the bottom line for Tampa’s vaunted paper of record.

“Founded more than a century ago as the weekly West Hillsborough Times, it grew to be the best-selling daily newspaper in the southeast but now publishes only twice a week with a newsroom less than half the size it once was,” Tampa Tiger Bay Club wrote in a release about its upcoming chat with Tash and Gallaty.

Only members of the nonpartisan political group may ask questions at the talk, but the last few sessions have been lively and newsmaking.

This article appears in May 12-18, 2022.