Peabody Awards

Some awards honor great stories.

These stories are on the radio. They are also on TV and online. People work hard to make them.

These prizes are called Peabody Awards. They began in 1940. They were first for radio shows. Later, they added TV shows.

A group of judges picks the winners. They look for very good stories. They do not care if a show is just popular. They want shows that are great.

Winners can be people or groups. They come from all over the world. The awards help us find good shows to watch.

It is a very special prize to win.

Some awards honor the best stories ever told.

These stories are on the radio, on TV, and online. They are called Peabody Awards. They are very old and important. The first awards were for radio in 1940. Later, they added TV shows. Now, they also include podcasts and streaming.

A group of experts called a Board of Jurors picks the winners. They do not care if a show is just famous. They want stories that are powerful and smart. They look for "Excellence On Its Own Terms." This means they value high quality above all else. Winners must be chosen by everyone on the Board. This is called a unanimous choice.

There are eight groups for the awards. These include News, Arts, and Children's shows. They also include Documentaries and Podcasts. Winners can be people or large groups from all over the world. The awards are kept at the University of Georgia. This helps save the history of great media for the future.

The Peabody Awards honor stories that are powerful and enlightening.

These awards celebrate excellence in television, radio, and online media. People in the media industry hold these prizes in very high esteem. They are not just about being popular or making a lot of money. Instead, the awards look for "Excellence On Its Own Terms." This means the stories must be high quality and meaningful.

Winners can be individuals or large organizations from all over the world.

Choosing a winner is a very careful process. A group called the Board of Jurors makes the final decisions. This board has about 18 members who are experts and scholars. They meet three times to discuss the best entries. In April, they meet at the University of Georgia for final talks. To win, a program must be chosen unanimously by every member. This means everyone on the board must agree it is excellent. In 2016, they started the "Peabody 30" to highlight the best programs.

This tradition began a long time ago in the United States. The National Association of Broadcasters started the awards in 1940. They wanted a prize for radio that was like the Pulitzer Prizes. A man named Lambdin Kay helped create the idea. He worked with John E. Drewry at the University of Georgia. The awards are named after George Foster Peabody. He was a businessman who gave money to help education and social causes.

There are many different ways to win a Peabody. Programs are placed into eight specific categories. These include News, Documentary, and Arts. Other groups are Entertainment, Children's/Youth, and Public Service. They also recognize Podcast/Radio and Interactive & Immersive media. The awards started with only radio in 1940. Television awards were added later in 1948. In the late 1990s, they added categories for the World Wide Web. This allows the awards to grow as technology changes.

Today, the history of these stories is kept safe in a special place. The Walter J. Brown Media Archives holds the Peabody Awards Collection. This collection is at the University of Georgia. It helps protect the sounds and images that show our history. The archives receive at least 1,000 new entries every year. They are even working to digitize thousands of hours of old programs. This ensures that great storytelling stays available for people to see and hear.

The George Foster Peabody Awards honor stories that are powerful, enlightening, and invigorating.

These awards recognize excellence across television, radio, and online media. Within the media industry, the Peabodys are held in high esteem due to their academic affiliation. They prioritize quality storytelling over commercial success or popularity. This philosophy is often described as "Excellence On Its Own Terms." Winners may be individuals, networks, or producing organizations from around the world.

The judging process is rigorous and requires total agreement. An 18-member Board of Jurors selects the final nominees and winners each year. This board consists of scholars, critics, and media-industry professionals. They participate in three intensive preliminary meetings to discuss recommended entries. In April, the board meets at the University of Georgia for final screenings and deliberations. To receive a Peabody Award, a program must be selected unanimously by the entire board. In 2016, the program introduced the "Peabody 30." This represents the top 30 programs chosen from a field of 60 nominees.

The awards were established in 1940 by the National Association of Broadcasters. They were originally created to honor radio broadcasting excellence. The goal was to provide a radio equivalent to the Pulitzer Prizes. Lambdin Kay, a public-service director for WSB radio, is credited with creating the award. He worked with John E. Drewry, the first dean of the Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. The awards are named after George Foster Peabody. He was an investment banker and philanthropist who funded the awards. The Grady College of Journalism at the University of Georgia serves as the awards' permanent home.

As technology evolved, the scope of the awards expanded significantly. Originally, the awards were issued only for radio programming. Television awards were introduced in 1948. In the late 1990s, new categories were added for content distributed via the World Wide Web. Today, the awards cover eight distinct categories. These include Entertainment, Documentary, Arts, and Children's/Youth. They also recognize News, Podcast/Radio, Interactive & Immersive, and Public Service. Note that materials made solely for theatrical motion picture release are not eligible.

The history of the judging mechanism has also changed. Before 2014, more than 1,000 entries were evaluated by 30 different committees. These committees included faculty, staff, and students from various higher education institutions. Since 2015, the preliminary judging round is conducted by faculty members at major research universities. Most of these universities are located outside of the University of Georgia. This ensures a wide range of academic perspectives during the initial screening process.

The Peabody Awards are celebrated through various announcements and ceremonies. Winners are often revealed via press releases or press conferences. In 2015, the announcement process lasted eight days, including segments on "Good Morning America." The formal presentation traditionally occurs in late May or early June. For many years, these awards were presented during a luncheon in New York City. On May 31, 2015, the ceremony transitioned to a red carpet evening event. Famous hosts have included Walter Cronkite, Jon Stewart, and Ira Glass.

The legacy of these stories is preserved in the Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection. This collection is housed in the Richard B. Russell Building at the University of Georgia. The archive aims to protect the moving images and sounds that reflect collective memory. The collection receives at least 1,000 new entries every year. It includes a cultural cross-section of television from its beginning to the present. A special grant is currently helping to digitize 4,000 hours of public broadcasting. This project covers programming nominated for a Peabody between 1941 and 1999. The final digitized collection will include recordings from 46 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.