Description

The award is given to books that help improve government by studying how the press, politics, and public policy connect. It is given to the best book published the year before, based on how well it meets this goal. The first prize was given in 1993. In 2002, the program was changed to include two separate prizes: one for books sold to the public and another for books used in schools or universities.

The Goldsmith Awards Program, started in 1991, is part of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, which is a part of Harvard University. The center also gives the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting and the Goldsmith Career Award for Excellence in Journalism.