The Peabody Awards won’t be throwing a return celebration this year after all. The org has scrapped this years event, which would have been the first in-person Peabody ceremony since 2019 (before the pandemic), in the wake of the writers strike. Originally set to be held on Sunday, June 11, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, this also would have been the first Peabody Awards to be held in Southern California.
“As an organization dedicated to honoring the most compelling and empowering stories in broadcasting and streaming media, we recognize and respect the position that many of this year’s Peabody Award winners find themselves in,” the org said in a statement. “Due to the ongoing uncertainty and meaningful challenges that exist industrywide, we have decided to cancel the 83rd annual Peabody Awards ceremony that was set to take place on June 11 in Los Angeles. Canceling the ceremony is extremely disappointing as this year’s 39 winners are immensely talented and have brought forth powerful stories that deserve to be celebrated.”
The Peabody Awards Board of Jurors had already announced this year’s winners, including ten entertainment programs: “Abbott Elementary,” “Andor,” “Atlanta,” “Bad Sisters,” “Better Call Saul,” “Los Espookys,” “Mo,” “Pachinko,” “Severance” and “We’re Here.”
Chosen by unanimous vote of 32 jurors from over 1,400 entries, the 83rd annual Peabody Awards also landed on eight documentaries, seven news programs, five from interactive and immersive content, three podcast/radio programs, and one each from arts and public service fare.
Previously announced specialty awards set to be awarded at this year’s event included NBC News’ “Today” as an Institutional Award winner; Lily Tomlin was named this year’s Peabody Career Achievement Award recipient; Issa Rae won the Peabody Trailblazer Award; and Shari Frilot was named the winner of the Visionary Award. Bob Bain Productions had been tapped to produce the event.
PBS leads this year’s winners circle with six, followed by Apple TV+ and Disney+ with three each, and HBO Max with two. See the full list of winners here.
The Peabody Awards are chosen each year by a Board of Jurors in the categories of entertainment, documentary, news, podcast/radio, arts, children’s and youth, immersive and interactive media, and public service programming. Based at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia, the Peabodys look at “stories that powerfully reflect the pressing social issues and the vibrant emerging voices of our day.”
