James Steele
Encyclopedia
James B. Steele is an American
investigative journalist and author. With longtime collaborator Donald L. Barlett
he has won two Pulitzer Prizes, two National Magazine Awards and five George Polk Awards during their thirty five years of service at the Philadelphia Inquirer, Time
, and Vanity Fair
. The duo are frequently referred to as Barlett and Steele.
Steele was born in Hutchinson
, Kansas
and was raised in Kansas City
, Missouri
. He graduated from the University of Missouri–Kansas City
and began his career at the Kansas City Times
, where he covered politics, labor and urban affairs. In 1970 he joined the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he would begin his collaboration with Barlett.
In a 1972 collaboration for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Steele and Barlett pioneered the use of computers for the analysis of data on violent crimes. Twenty years later, they co-authored the series America: What Went Wrong? for The Inquirer, which was named as one of the 100 best pieces of journalism of the 20th century by the New York University
School of Journalism. Rewritten into book form, America: What Went Wrong? became a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. It is one of seven books Steele and Barlett have published. In 1989, he and Bartlett won the Pulitzer Prize
for their reporting on the Tax Reform Act of 1986
.
Barlett and Steele were hired by Vanity Fair
to be contributing editors on the understanding that they would contribute two articles each year. They were available for this new assignment after Time determined that they had insufficient space for the time of long journalistic investigations. In 2007, Barlett and Steele were featured in the PBS documentary series, Exposé: America's Investigative Reports
, in an episode entitled "Friends In High Places."
Steele is married and has a daughter.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
investigative journalist and author. With longtime collaborator Donald L. Barlett
Donald Barlett
Donald L. Barlett is an American investigative journalist and author who collaborated with James B. Steele. According to The Washington Journalism Review they were a better investigative reporting team than even Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Together they have won two Pulitzer Prizes, two...
he has won two Pulitzer Prizes, two National Magazine Awards and five George Polk Awards during their thirty five years of service at the Philadelphia Inquirer, Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, and Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
. The duo are frequently referred to as Barlett and Steele.
Steele was born in Hutchinson
Hutchinson, Kansas
Hutchinson is the largest city in and the county seat of Reno County, Kansas, United States, northwest of Wichita, on the Arkansas River. It has been home to salt mines since 1887, thus its nickname of "Salt City", but locals call it "Hutch"...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and was raised in Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. He graduated from the University of Missouri–Kansas City
University of Missouri–Kansas City
The University of Missouri–Kansas City is a public university located in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. It is a branch of the University of Missouri System. Its main campus is in Kansas City's Rockhill neighborhood east of the Country Club Plaza...
and began his career at the Kansas City Times
Kansas City Times
The Kansas City Times was a morning newspaper in Kansas City, Missouri, that was published from 1867 to 1990.The morning Kansas City Times, under ownership of afternoon The Kansas City Star, won two Pulitzer Prizes and was actually bigger than its parent when its name was changed to the...
, where he covered politics, labor and urban affairs. In 1970 he joined the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he would begin his collaboration with Barlett.
In a 1972 collaboration for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Steele and Barlett pioneered the use of computers for the analysis of data on violent crimes. Twenty years later, they co-authored the series America: What Went Wrong? for The Inquirer, which was named as one of the 100 best pieces of journalism of the 20th century by the New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
School of Journalism. Rewritten into book form, America: What Went Wrong? became a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. It is one of seven books Steele and Barlett have published. In 1989, he and Bartlett won the Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for their reporting on the Tax Reform Act of 1986
Tax Reform Act of 1986
The U.S. Congress passed the Tax Reform Act of 1986 to simplify the income tax code, broaden the tax base and eliminate many tax shelters and other preferences...
.
Barlett and Steele were hired by Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
to be contributing editors on the understanding that they would contribute two articles each year. They were available for this new assignment after Time determined that they had insufficient space for the time of long journalistic investigations. In 2007, Barlett and Steele were featured in the PBS documentary series, Exposé: America's Investigative Reports
EXPOSÉ: America's Investigative Reports
Exposé: America's Investigative Reports is a half-hour PBS documentary series that details some of the most revealing investigative journalism in America. Tentatively titled Airtime during development, Thirteen/WNET and the Center for Investigative Reporting launched AIR: America's Investigative...
, in an episode entitled "Friends In High Places."
Steele is married and has a daughter.
Books
Newspaper articles
"America: What Went Wrong?"
"America: Who Stole the Dream?"
Magazine articles
External links
- Don Barlett and Jim Steele's website
- Barlett & Steele Awards for Investigative Business Journalism
- Terry Gross's interview about gambling on reservations with Barlett & Steele on NPR's Fresh Air (16 December 2002)
- Terry Gross's interview "The Big Business of Health Care" with Barlett & Steele on NPR's Fresh Air (06 October 2004)
- Exposé:"Friends in High Places" on PBS (July 2007)
- Liberadio(!) Interview with Don Barlett (12 February 2007)