Peabody Awards

What Peabody Awards does

The Peabody Awards is a nonprofit recognition organization founded in 1940 and housed at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. It operates an annual award cycle that accepts more than 1,000 entries across television, podcasts/radio, web, and interactive/immersive media, with winners selected by unanimous vote of a 28-member Board of Jurors. At the 86th annual cycle (2026), 34 winners were named across entertainment, documentary, news, podcast/radio, arts, children's/youth, and interactive/immersive categories, with HBO Max taking the most awards (6) and Apple TV+, Disney+, Hulu, Netflix, and PBS each taking two. Major award-winning platforms span HBO Max, Netflix, Apple TV+, Disney+, Hulu, PBS, BBC, ABC News, Audible, and Al Jazeera English, reflecting a globally distributed recipient base.

The organization runs a digital award management platform, a content website, and a year-round digital archive (the Peabody Awards Collection at the Grady College) covering 86 years of honored storytelling. Its audio extension is the 'We Disrupt This Broadcast' podcast, co-produced with the Center for Media & Social Impact at American University and distributed by PRX across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart, and Overcast; the show earned a Signal Award and is now in its third season. The annual ceremony is held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, with the 86th edition taking place on May 31, 2026, hosted by Mo Amer.

Revenue is generated through a diversified nonprofit mix: one-time award submission fees from entrants (pricing not publicly disclosed), corporate sponsorships for the annual ceremony (Delta Air Lines as supporting sponsor, San Pellegrino as ancillary sponsor; Dropbox as presenting sponsor of the 2025 Trailblazer Celebration), individual donations channeled through the University of Georgia Foundation including a 'Friends of Peabody' program starting at $1,000, planned gifts and endowments, and statuette merchandise sold via the UGA bookstore e-commerce platform. The organization is led by Executive Director Jeffrey P. Jones, who also holds the Lambdin Kay Chair, and operates with a staff of 11-50 employees. There is no evidence of venture capital, private equity ownership, or external funding rounds.

Name

Peabody Awards

Legal name

Peabody Awards

Website

https://peabodyawards.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Peabody Awards is a nonprofit organization founded in 1940 at the University of Georgia that honors excellence in storytelling across television, podcasts/radio, web, and interactive media, judged by a 28-member Board of Jurors and serving streamers, broadcasters, and independent creators globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Media Awards and Recognition

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual Awards Ceremonies & Competitions (Judging, Voting) (MPAGAOAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Speech & Debate Judging, Tabulation & Tournament Services (EDAMAOAO)

Keywords

• Media awards program
• Electronic media recognition
• Storytelling honors
• Broadcast journalism awards
• Nonprofit media organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Athens

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Award Submission Fees: Organizations and creators pay fees to submit entries for Peabody Award consideration across television, podcasts/radio, web, and interactive categories.
2. Statuette Sales: Winners can purchase commemorative Peabody statuettes through the University of Georgia bookstore e-commerce platform.
3. Donations and Friends of Peabody Program: Individual donors contribute through the University of Georgia Foundation, with 'Friends of Peabody' giving program offering exclusive benefits including ceremony access, salon events, and archives access at $1,000+ levels.
4. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support the annual ceremony, including Delta Air Lines (supporting sponsor) and San Pellegrino (ancillary sponsor).
5. Planned Gifts and Endowments: Legacy giving program allowing donors to leave endowed gifts to sustain Peabody's mission long-term.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Peabody Awards operates an annual recognition program honoring excellence in storytelling across television, podcasts/radio, web programming, and interactive/immersive media. The organization reviews more than 1,000 entries annually through a 28-member Board of Jurors that selects winners by unanimous vote, hosts an annual ceremony, sells commemorative statuettes, runs the 'We Disrupt This Broadcast' podcast, and maintains the Peabody Awards Collection archive at the University of Georgia.

Product overview

The Peabody Awards is a single unified awards program that honors excellence in storytelling across television, podcasts/radio, web programming, and interactive/immersive media. The core offering is the annual award program with categories spanning entertainment, documentary, news, arts, children's/youth, public service, and interactive/immersive programming. Associated products include the 'We Disrupt This Broadcast' podcast that extends the organization's reach through industry conversations and interviews.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• We Disrupt This Broadcast: Award-winning podcast produced by the Peabody Awards in partnership with the Center for Media & Social Impact, featuring interviews with industry creatives about storytelling that reflects social issues and emerging voices.

Products and services

• Peabody Awards Program Annual honor recognizing excellence in storytelling that reflects social issues and emerging voices, with award categories spanning entertainment, documentary, news, podcast/radio, arts, children's/youth, and interactive/immersive programming. Entries are submitted by media organizations, networks, and creators, and winners are selected by a 28-member Board of Jurors through unanimous vote.
• We Disrupt This Broadcast Podcast An award-winning podcast featuring interviews with creators and industry leaders about storytelling that reflects social issues and emerging voices. Co-produced with the Center for Media & Social Impact and distributed by PRX across major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
• Peabody Commemorative Statuettes Physical commemorative Peabody statuettes available for purchase by award winners and supporters through the University of Georgia bookstore e-commerce platform, serving as tangible recognition of award status.
• Interactive & Immersive Awards A specialized award category within the Peabody Awards program recognizing excellence in interactive and immersive media, including interactive documentaries and video game experiences. Open to creators and producers working in immersive storytelling formats.

Quantifiable outcome

• HBO Max received the most awards (6) among broadcast platforms in 2026
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of GeorgiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Peabody Awards program is based at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. Founded in 1940 and remains there today, maintaining academic affiliation and institutional support.
• Center for Media & Social Impact (CMSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of the 'We Disrupt This Broadcast' podcast, which is a creative innovation lab housed at American University's School of Communication. The center bridges boundaries between scholars, producers, and communication practitioners.
• PRX (Public Radio Exchange)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributes the 'We Disrupt This Broadcast' podcast across all major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart, and Overcast.
• ROK ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partner for the 86th Annual Peabody Awards ceremony.
• Aloft Strategic CommunicationsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPublic relations firm serving as press contact for the Peabody Awards, handling media inquiries and communications.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PeabodyAwards
• Facebookfacebook.com/PeabodyAwards
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/peabodyawards

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Peabody Awards