The Peabody Awards – Submissions

1.1. The interactive and immersive cycle of the Peabody Awards honors stories in formats such as games, virtual reality, augmented reality, interactive journalism and documentary, co-creation, and social video, released for at-home engagement on consumer-level hardware. Interactive, immersive, and/or participatory experiences must be core to the project and essential to the storytelling (see 1.6 for ineligible projects).

1.2. A single, standalone project should be submitted as an individual entry. For Social Video-specific requirements, see Section 6.5.

1.3. Eligibility Period: All projects must have been published/released between January 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024. The window of eligibility has been set to overlap with last year’s award cycle due to the newness of the category and in order to provide broader consideration of works. Projects released during the overlap period (January 1, 2023 through June 30, 2023) which have already been submitted for consideration are not eligible.

1.4. Projects released prior to the eligibility window, but which have undergone major remakes or expansions may be submitted for consideration so long as the project is significantly and experientially distinct from the original (i.e., beyond additional levels, content, or interface improvements). Please address such distinctions in the short essay field, if this applies to your project. Sequels or new projects under a larger brand umbrella are eligible. 

1.5. Entrants with projects that have had limited releases or limited availability for the public, including live, scheduled, or time-specific experiences, should contact peabody@uga.edu to confirm eligibility to submit. Projects that are not eligible for consideration at this time include:

• Locative media
• Physical installations
• Audio projects in a language other than English
• Websites or mobile sites that are primarily text-based or video-based without interactive components
• Projects produced for traditional media (e.g. television, podcasts, radio, standalone web videos such as broadcast news stories published on network website)

Such projects should be submitted in the traditional Peabody Award cycle, which runs October to December annually

1.6. Individual creators and development companies should consult each other prior to submission to avoid duplicate entries. Duplicate entries will be considered only once and there will be no refund of fees.

 1.7. The number of nominees and winners named in a given year is solely determined by the Interactive Board of Jurors. Nominees and winners are not awarded in specific categories and there is no minimum number of awards given.

1.8. Final interpretation of guidelines and eligibility are made by the Peabody Awards organization and Interactive Board of Jurors.

There are no updates to the guidelines at this time.

3.1. All entries must be submitted online through the Peabody Submissions site. Submitters will be asked to provide link(s) and/or access code(s) for access to their project (see 6.4.). We do not accept physical media or project uploads.

3.2. The submission period is August 13 to October 3, 2024 (11:59pm PT), for projects that were published/released between January 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.

3.3. The fee for an individual entry submitted in accordance with the October 3 deadline is $400 (USD). 

3.4. Fees must be paid via major credit card in the submission system.

3.5. Refunds are not provided once an entry has been submitted.

3.6. We are pleased to again offer a reduced rate of $300 for first-time applicants as we strive to increase access for small organizations and independent creators new to Peabody Awards. Use code PEABODYFIRST at checkout to receive the discount.

4.1. Due to the large volume of submissions, we are unable to respond to phone calls. Please contact peabody@uga.edu for assistance. The Peabody office is in the Eastern Time Zone.

4.2. We do not accept physical media or project file uploads for the interactive and immersive category, other than supplemental playthrough videos.

4.3. We do not accept watermarked files.

4.4. We do not accept zip files.

4.5. When uploading a video, once the video says “Processing,” press “Save” at the bottom of the page and you will be able to move on to the next upload.

4.6. Do not use multiple tabs or different browsers at the same time. Your work will be lost and unrecoverable. 

4.7. A Multiple Collaborators feature is available for multiple login access to the entry. However, only one person can edit the application at the same time. If more than one person simultaneously edits the entry, you will override each other’s changes/uploads.

5.1. A PDF Preview of the 2024 application form will be available on this page by August 8.

5.2. All entrants must submit the entirety of their application online at the Peabody Submissions site by the October 3 deadline. 

5.3. Once you have created an entry, you may save it within the system and return to work on it again before you submit. You should not use multiple browsers or tabs to work on the application or upload materials simultaneously as you will lose your changes.

5.4. Entrants will identify the primary type of project they are submitting as best described by the options below. Any project that uses a VR headset must select VR. Entrants’ choice will inform the screening process only and will not affect full consideration of the project. These are not award categories.

• Game + Play
• Interactive Documentary
• Interactive Journalism
• Narrative/Other
• Social Video (e.g. YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, etc.)
• VR (required selection for any project using a headset)

5.5. Entrants next will have the option to select additional descriptors as applicable to provide a more comprehensive picture of the project. These are not award categories. A selection or non-selection will not affect full consideration of the project.

• Co-creation
• Children’s/Youth
• Documentary
• Game + Play
• Interactive Audio
• Journalism
• Multiplatform Storytelling
• Narrative
• Social Video

5.6. A single project is limited to one entry. Entrants should not submit the same project twice.

5.7. Entrants with projects that have had limited releases or limited availability for the public, including live, scheduled, or time-specific experiences, should contact peabody@uga.edu to confirm eligibility to submit. Projects that are not eligible for consideration at this time include:

• Locative media
• Physical installations
• Audio projects in a language other than English
• Websites or mobile sites that are primarily text-based or video-based without interactive components
• Projects produced for traditional media (e.g. television, podcasts, radio, standalone web videos such as broadcast news stories published on network website). Such projects should be submitted in the traditional Peabody Award cycle, which runs October to December annually.

6.1. Entrants should prepare a two-sentence summary of the project to include in the application.

6.2. The Short Essay field has a 500-word limit. It is recommended that entrants use this space to further describe the project, and call out any highlights of the experience, as well as impact or merits, you feel are important for Peabody consideration. Please specifically address how the project’s interactivity and/or immersion is important to the storytelling. No examples of previous entry narratives will be provided to entrants.

6.3. Entrants will provide official credits for their project. Credits will be confirmed for Peabody records and publicity should the project be selected as a winner.

6.4. Access to the project must be provided via link(s) and/or access code(s). For projects requiring access codes, entrants should supply one code with unlimited usage or a minimum of 25 unique codes. Codes must be valid from the date of entry until 5/31/25. Entrants must provide an email address for technical support.

6.5. Social Video submissions: Entrants should submit at least one video around a single theme from a single social media channel or account. Entries that submit an entire channel or account, without specific videos indicated, will not be considered.

1. Video must be included as part of the content for the submission. For example, a Twitter thread with only text, images, or retweets, or an Instagram post with only a still image is not eligible.
2. Entries can be part of a series, or individual videos with a related theme posted at different times during the eligibility period.
3. A single entry may have up to 12 videos for consideration. The original posting dates of all videos must all meet the eligibility window.
4. In consideration of Social Video submissions, judges will look at audience engagement and other components native to the experience of the video(s).

6.6. Entrants will provide details regarding the platform used for experiencing the project, including minimum hardware requirements.

6.7. Image stills will be used for PR purposes if a project is selected as a nominee or winner.

6.8. For archival and reference purposes, entries on game and VR platforms should provide a Playthrough Video no more than 10-40 minutes in length. This video should not include any promotional commentary or be designed for sales marketing purposes. Video may include stills with text that explains what the player is doing to advance the experience. Consideration will not be based on playthrough video alone. External or third-party-created playthroughs are accepted.

6.9. Supplemental materials are not required for the entry. This section has been made available for entrants who would like to include additional context for the project submission. Examples include letters of recommendation, reports on impact, press coverage of the materials, scripts, and other marketing materials.

7.1. Peabody welcomes submissions from outside the U.S. in all formats (in English and in a language other than English; see exceptions below). 

7.2. If the project 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 subtitles are required. 

7.3. For projects experienced in an audio-only format, we are, unfortunately, unable to accept submissions produced entirely in a language other than English.

8.1. Each Peabody Award winner will receive one statuette listing the title of the project and the production companies credited in the entry form. This statuette will not list any individual person’s name.

8.2. Anyone credited with working on a Peabody Award winning project is eligible to purchase a Peabody Award Statuette with customization to include their individual name and title. Executives at the creative agency or production/development/design company are also eligible. Orders can be placed at the Peabody online store here.

8.3. Winner and nominee certificates are also available for customization and purchase at the Peabody online store.

8.4. Orders can be placed for past or current winners and nominees. There is no expiration date.

August 13, 2024 

Submissions Open

October 3, 2024  at 11:59PM PT

Submissions Deadline

April to June 2025

Nominees Announcement
Winners Announcement
Annual Awards Presentation
(Dates TBA)

Looking for information on the other Peabody Award categories?

The entry window for traditional Peabody categories in television, streaming media, and podcast/radio, is a separate entry cycle running October to December annually. Guidelines and eligibility rules for last year’s cycle are available here for reference. 

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