The Guidelines below may be subject to change and will be updated in the text below. Any such updates will be noted under the section “Changes in 2020.”
GUIDELINES TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Eligibility Requirements
2. Changes to the 2020 Cycle
3. Submissions and Deadlines
4. Entry Fees
5. Changes to the Web/Interactive Category
6. Entry Formats and Categories
7. What Episodes to Submit
8. Technical Requirements for Materials
9. International Entries
10. Calendar of Deadlines and Announcements
11. PDF preview of 2019 Application (Note: The 2020 Application preview will be available after October 1 and will have minor changes from last year)
1.1. The Peabody Awards honor a diverse range of stories from television and streaming media, radio and podcast, and online platforms. Nominees and winners are named in these categories:
a. Radio/Podcast
b. Five television/video categories: Documentary, Entertainment, News, Children’s/Youth, Public Service
c. Multimedia (produced for online/web platform; See Section 5 for changes to the former Web/Interactive category)
1.2. Print media and major theatrical film releases are not eligible.
1.3. Documentary films with limited theatrical releases or documentaries appearing at film festivals outside the time period below should contact peabody@uga.edu for approval.
1.4. All programs must have premiered or be scheduled to premiere between January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020.
1.5. If the program premiered in a country other than the U.S. during a different time period and had its U.S. premiere broadcast subsequently in 2020, it is eligible as long as it has not been submitted previously for Peabody consideration.
1.6. International submissions for television programming are eligible. Please see section below on additional application requirements for programs produced in a language other than English.
1.7. At this time, we are unable to consider radio/podcast or multimedia submissions produced in a language other than English.
1.8. Producing individuals and network/platform companies consult each other prior to submission to avoid duplicating entries. Duplicate entries will be considered once and there will be no refund of fees.
1.9. Peabody reserves the right to disqualify any application that does not meet any of the guidelines set here within.
2.1. The Submissions Deadline calendar is different than years past, ending in December. See Section 3.
2.2. The Entry Fees structure is now based on category. See Section 4.
2.3. The previous Peabody category of “Web/Interactive” is now the “Multimedia” category. See Section 5 for definitions and eligibility.
3.1. All entries must be submitted online through our platform here . All video and audio materials must be uploaded to the application. We do not accept FYC links.
3.2. The submission period is October 1 to December 16, 2020 (11:59pm PT) for completed works that have premiered in 2020 or are slated to premiere by December 31, 2020.
3.3. To submit a program that is produced during the period of December 16-31, 2020 and airs by the end of 2020, contact peabody@uga.edu for instructions to submit as soon as possible and no later than January 5, 2021. The earlier you contact us, the more time you will have to submit.
a. Examples: breaking news coverage, live local news reporting, live town hall, interviews.
3.4. To submit an episode/segment that is produced during the period of December 16-31, 2020 and airs by the end of 2020 as part of a larger entry, contact peabody@uga.edu as soon as possible and no later than January 5, 2021 to have the new material added.
a. Examples: Saturday Night Live, daily or late night talk shows
b. All other episodes and components of the application must be submitted by the December 16 deadline.
4.1. Fees are determined by category. Entries submitted in accordance with the deadlines listed above are as follows (USD):
a. Radio and Podcast: $450.00
b. Documentary Series, more than 2 episodes (ex. Surviving R. Kelly): $800.00
c. Documentary Film (a single film with no more than 2 episodes aired): $650.00
d. Entertainment: $800.00
e. News: $600.00
f. Children’s/Youth: $600.00
g. Public Service: $600.00
h. Multimedia: $600.00
4.2. There will be a late period extension ending at 9:00am PT on Friday, December 18, 2020. Each late entry will be assessed a $300 late fee.
4.3. Fees are paid via major credit card in the submission system.
4.4. Refunds are not provided once an entry has been submitted.
5. Changes to the Web/Interactive Category
5.1. The previous Peabody category of “Web/Interactive” is now the “Multimedia” category.
a. Eligibility: Online platform media pieces that employ multiple modes of storytelling (e.g. audio-visual, text, images, data mapping, interactivity components) working together to create a single comprehensive user experience of the story.
b. Examples of past winners: Hell and High Water, Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek
5.2. The Multimedia category is not meant for separate productions with related materials (e.g. a TV show and its official podcast). If you have projects with related material that fit in more than one category, see 6.3 below for guidance.
5.3. If your entry is simply in a video format that is distributed on a webpage and does not employ any other modes of storytelling as part of the user experience, please submit it in the television/video category that best fits the genre.
5.4. If your project employs other digital modes or technologies of user experience (e.g. reality, apps, social media, location-based entertainment, gaming), do not submit in this awards cycle. There will be a separate cycle for Peabody consideration in 2021 for these projects. Join our newsletter list to receive the announcement.
6.1. Peabody accepts submissions in:
a. Radio/Podcast across category
b. Five television/video categories: Documentary, Entertainment, News, Children’s/Youth, Public Service
c. Multimedia (see section 5 above)
6.2. A single program is limited to one category of entry. Example: A TV program cannot be submitted both in News and in Public Service.
6.3. Projects with related material that fit more than one category can submit in separate categories for separate consideration. Example: A TV series that has a podcast can submit the show in entertainment category, and the podcast in the radio/podcast category.
a. If you feel your entry is a collective media project that you wish to submit for single consideration, you should submit it in the category you feel best represents the stronger vehicle in the telling of the story. Any related material should be submitted in the Supplemental section of the entry application.
b. TV programs and podcasts do not generally qualify for the Multimedia category.
c. Contact peabody@uga.edu if you feel you need further guidance.
6.4. As noted in 4.4, if your project employs other digital modes or technologies of user experience (e.g. reality, apps, social media, location-based entertainment, gaming), do not submit in this awards cycle. There will be a separate cycle for Peabody consideration in 2021 for these projects. Join our newsletter list to receive the announcement.
7. Starting the Application & Selecting the Category
7.1. A PDF Preview of the 2020 application form will be available here after October 1. It will have only minor changes from last year’s version, available here .
7.2. All entrants must submit the entirety of their application online. We do not accept hard copies or physical media.
7.3. Entrants will first select the format in which the program aired or was distributed: Radio/Podcast or Television/Video (e.g. broadcast, streaming, OTT, web series, etc.) or Multimedia
7.4. For Radio/Podcast or Television/Video submissions, entrants will then select one of these categories:
a. Documentary: In-depth examination of local, national, or international issues and/or of contemporary or historic events.
b. Entertainment: Regularly scheduled and/or special programs characterized by excellence in the presentation of drama, comedy, music, the performing arts, variety, sports, etc.
c. News: Includes spot coverage, reporting, investigation, interpretation, and commentary on news events.
d. Children’s Programming: Series and special programs or projects primarily intended for an audience of children (2-11) or youth (12-17).
e. Public Service: One-time or continuing projects that address or respond to an important public problem or issue, or demonstrate creative and effective use of media to enhance teaching and learning.
7.5. We do not accept public entries for our distinguished Career Achievement and Institutional annual winners.
8. How Many Episodes to Submit
8.1. Entrants should use these guidelines to understand how many episodes they should submit. These guidelines are not award categories. See 6.4 above for the award categories in which you can enter.
8.2. Media files must be uploaded directly to the submission portal for consideration. We are unable to accept physical drives/CDs, FYC links, or other downloadable links (e.g. Vimeo) in place of an uploaded file.
8.3. Radio/Podcast Episodes
a. Program Series with distinct, standalone episodes (e.g. This American Life: Anatomy of
Doubt, episode 581): Submit a single episode as an individual entry.
b. Narrative Series: Submit all episodes from a single season in the 2020 calendar year as one entry. (e.g. Serial)
c. News: Submit a single story in its entirety. If the story involved continuing coverage, applicants may submit one file comprised of the entirety of the initial piece followed by extensive excerpts from subsequent coverage that best represent the evolution of the story.
d. Interview, Panel Discussion, Conversational Series (e.g., Fresh Air with Terry Gross): Submit the what you feel are the strongest 6-8 episodes from a single season that were released in the 2020 calendar year as one entry.
8.4. Documentary Television/Video
a. Film: Submit each film in its entirety as one entry.
b. Miniseries/Series, more than 2 episodes (e.g. O.J.: Made in America), submit all episodes as part of one entry.
c. Documentary Program Series with distinct, standalone episodes (e.g. POV: The Apology; Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel: The Killing Fields): Submit a single episode as an individual entry.
8.5. Entertainment Television/Video
a. Series: Submit all episodes from a single season in the 2020 calendar year as one entry.
b. Top 6-8 best episodes
8.6. News Television/Video
a. News programming, local or national: Submit a single story in its entirety. If the story involved continuing coverage, applicants may submit one file comprised of the entirety of the initial piece followed by extensive excerpts from subsequent coverage that best represent the evolution of the story.
b. News Program Series with distinct standalone episodes: Submit a single episode as an individual entry (e.g. 60 Minutes: Memories of a Massacre)
8.7. Children’s/Youth follows the same guidelines as Entertainment.
8.8. Public Service follows the same guidelines as News.
9. Technical Requirements for Materials
9.1. We do not accept FYC links, zipped files, or watermarked files. All materials must be uploaded to the application.
9.2. We do not accept physical screeners or CDs. All materials must be uploaded to the application.
9.3. Do NOT open multiple browser tabs or use different browsers to try uploading multiple files at the same time. Doing so will result in lost materials and work.
9.4. You must submit materials in these formats:
a. Video: MP4 – 1080p SD or HD, H.264 preferred
b. Audio: MP3 – Stereo or Mono
c. Images: PNG (preferred), JPG/JPEG, GIF, TIF/TIFF
d. Documents: PDF, DOC, DOCX, PPT
9.5. Episode/program files must be uploaded individually unless a news compilation.
9.6. Individual files up to 20 GB each will be accepted.
9.7. Please be aware that it may take some time for the file to upload, especially if you are on an internet connection with limited bandwidth such as public WiFi. For reference, a standard one-hour program does not need to be more than 6 GB in size.
9.8. All honorees will be contacted for broadcast/hi-res quality footage after nominees are announced.
10.1. Peabody welcomes submissions from outside the U.S. in the television/video categories.
10.2. If the program is in a language other than English, it must include subtitles in English to ensure our ability to give the piece full consideration. Transcripts and written translations may be provided as supplemental material, but the subtitles are required.
10.3. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept submissions produced entirely in a language other than English for the radio/podcast category.
11. Calendar of Deadlines and Announcements (subject to change):
October 1, 2020
Submissions Open
December 16, 2020 at 11:59pm PT
Submissions Deadline
December 17-18, 2020 at 9:00am PT
Late Submissions Period
January 5, 2020 at 11:59pm PT
Deadline to contact peabody@uga.edu for programming produced Dec. 16-31, 2020; See 3.3 and 3.4 above
April to June 2021
Nominations Announced
Winners Announcements
Annual Peabody Awards Ceremony
(full schedule TBA)