Honoring inclusive stories of empowerment and enlightenment in television, documentary, news media, and more multimedia, the Peabody Awards announced their 60 nominees May 4. Among the entertainment nominations were “I May Destroy You,” “Small Axe,” “The Good Lord Bird,” and “Ted Lasso.”
In addition to an unusually high number of nominees in news categories due to COVID-19 coverage throughout 2020, this year’s Peabody committee selected narrative programming centered on immigrant and voting rights, policing, and economic justice. PBS totaled a leading 12 nods, followed by Netflix with nine—the latter recognized for “Unorthodox,” “Never Have I Ever,” “Gentefied,” and the documentary “Disclosure.” A virtual ceremony in June will name 30 winners.
“From COVID-19 coverage to poignant explorations of identity, each nominee not only told a powerful story but also made a significant impact on media programming and the cultural landscape,” said Martha Nelson, chair of the Peabody Board of Jurors, in a statement.
“Peabody is proud to continue its tradition of recognizing diverse and emerging voices, those telling powerful stories that audiences need to engage with and hear,” said Jeffrey Jones, the awards’ executive director.
Based at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia and given out since 1941, the Peabodys were scheduled to hold their first Los Angeles–based awards ceremony in 2020 before the pandemic’s disruption. Like last year, the 2021 ceremony will air as a virtual presentation. For more information and a full list of nominations, visit peabodyawards.com.
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