The Peabody Awards to Honor James L. Brooks with the Inaugural Industry Icon Award at the 86TH Annual Peabody Awards, May 31, in Beverly Hills
Athens, GA (April 1, 2026) – Three-time Academy Award-winner and 21-time Emmy Award-winner James L. Brooks will be honored with the Peabody Awards’ inaugural Industry Icon Award, as announced by the program’s Board of Jurors. Brooks will be feted at the 86th annual Peabody Awards ceremony, May 31, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.
Other honorees at this year’s ceremony include multi-award-winning actress, producer and podcast host Amy Poehler, being honored with the Career Achievement Award; director, producer, and screenwriter Sterlin Harjo with the Trailblazer Award; and historic programmer PBS Kids honored with the Institutional Award.
“James L. Brooks has shaped the way we understand television as both an art form and a cultural force. His work blends humor, humanity, and sharp social insight in ways that have influenced generations of storytellers. It’s an honor to recognize his extraordinary legacy with the inaugural Industry Icon Award,” said Jeffrey Jones, Executive Director of the Peabody Awards.
Brooks is receiving the first-time Industry Icon Award in recognition of his enduring impact and leadership in shaping the media landscape. He has created a legacy that continues to guide the industry. He is perhaps best known for co-creating iconic television series like “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Taxi,” “The Simpsons” and ground-breaking “Room 222.” He also developed two successful television spin-offs, the comedy “Rhoda” and the drama “Lou Grant.” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Lou Grant” and “The Simpsons” are all Peabody Award-winners. His acclaimed work in film includes such iconic titles as “Terms of Endearment,” “Broadcast News” and “As Good as It Gets.”
In 1986, Brooks founded Gracie Films, with the first show produced being “The Tracey Ullman Show,” which received 29 Emmy nominations and 8 wins over the course of its run. During this time, Matt Groening created “The Simpsons,” developed by Brooks and Sam Simon. The show has become a cultural phenomenon, winning numerous awards and running for over 38 years thus far. Brooks co-produced and co-wrote “The Simpsons Movie” in 2007, further cementing the franchise’s legacy.
Brooks’ work stands alongside a long tradition of Peabody-recognized storytelling that has shaped television and media. Past Peabody Award winners include some of the most beloved and groundbreaking series of all time, including “Hill Street Blues,” “Murphy Brown,” “The Wire,” “Veep,” The Sopranos,” “Breaking Bad,” “The Office” and “Succession,” and limited/mini-series including “Roots,” “Tales of the City,” “Chernobyl,” and “Dopesick.” Children’s and youth honorees have included “ABC Afterschool Specials,” “Bluey” and “Doc McStuffins,” while landmark educational programs such as “Cosmos” and “NOVA” have also been honored. Peabody began recognizing Interactive and Immersive Media in 2021, with organizations such as The New Yorker, The Washington Post and The New York Times receiving honors. The Peabody Awards precedes The Emmy Awards as the longest running awards program to honor how television/broadcasting, and now digital and podcast programming, can have positive effects on society.
Nominees for the 2026 Peabody Awards will be announced on April 7 and April 9 with winners announced later that month.
As part of its ongoing work to spotlight stories that shape our culture, Peabody also produces the award-winning podcast “We Disrupt This Broadcast,” co-produced with the Center for Media & Social Impact at American University. The series is distributed by public media organization PRX and available on-demand across all major podcast platforms. For more information, please visit peabodyawards.com.
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ABOUT THE PEABODY AWARDS
The Peabody Awards is celebrating 86 years of honoring stories that defend public interest, encourage empathy and expand our understanding of the world. Respected for its integrity and revered for its standards of excellence, the Peabody is an honor like no other for television, podcast/radio, and immersive and interactive media. Chosen each year by a diverse Board of Jurors through unanimous vote, Peabody Awards are given in the categories of entertainment, documentary, news, podcast/radio, arts, children’s and youth, and public service programming. The annual Peabody winners are a collection of stories that powerfully reflect the pressing social issues and the vibrant emerging voices of our day. From major productions to local journalism, the Peabody Awards shine a light on the Stories That Matter and are a testament to the power of art and reportage in the push for truth, social justice, and equity. The Peabody Awards were founded in 1940 at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia and remain there today. The Peabody Awards also produces the award-winning podcast “We Disrupt This Broadcast, available on all major podcast platforms. For more information, visit peabodyawards.com to sign up for our newsletter.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Michael Donkis
Aloft Strategic Communications
E-mail: mdonkis@aloftpr.com
Cell: 310-387-0220
Rebecca Taylor
Aloft Strategic Communications
E-mail: rtaylor@aloftpr.com
Cell: 310-447-4831