Thomas Friedman Wins Urbino Press Award

By Nikki Schwab, Washington Whispers

The New York Times staff may have won a whopping five Pulitzer Prizes yesterday, but those reporters won't be getting a free trip to Italy. That will go to Times columnist Thomas Friedman. Friedman was announced the recipient of the Urbino Press Award last night at the Italian Embassy and will travel to Urbino, Italy, in mid-June to pick it up. "It's always fun to go to Italy because it's a place where a lot of dots connect," he says, mentioning that he's already heard all about the city from last year's winner, ABC News's Martha Raddatz. Friedman said it was a good day for the news business. "Journalism is alive and well," he tells Whispers. "I can't tell you what platform it's going to be or what the balance between dead trees and bits and bytes is going to be, but there's always going to be a need for great explainers." And about those Pulitzers? Well, Friedman already has three, and he's on the Pulitzer Board, so he can't say much about his paper taking home so many. "Let's just say this—I'm happy for all the winners."

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