Comedian, actress and now super-successful podcaster Amy Poehler has been tapped to receive one of this year’s Peabody Awards honors, along with “Reservation Dogs” creator Sterlin Harjo and programmer PBS Kids.
The three entities will be recognized at the 86th Peabody Awards ceremony on May 31 in Beverly Hills. Poehler will receive this year’ Peabody career achievement award, while Harjo will be given Peabody’s trailblazer award and PBS Kids will be recognized with Peabody’s institutional award. The news was announced Wednesday by the Peabody Awards board of jurors.
“These honorees represent the very best of storytelling in media and the profound impact it can have on culture,” Peabody Awards executive director Jeffrey Jones said in a statement. “Amy Poehler has built a remarkable career bringing intelligence, humor, and fearless creativity to work that continues to shape comedy and inspire audiences. Sterlin Harjo has expanded the possibilities of television with work that is both deeply personal and culturally groundbreaking, with overdue stories and voices Americans have long ignored. And for decades, PBS KIDS has set the gold standard for educational children’s media, creating thoughtful, enriching stories that continue to shape how young audiences learn, grow, and understand the world. We’re proud to recognize each of them for their lasting impact on the media landscape.”
Previous recipients of the career achievement award, which “recognizes an individual whose exceptional body of work and creative contributions have made a significant impact on media and culture,” include Andrea Mitchell, Mel Brooks and Sam Pollard. Poehler’s credits include “Saturday Night Live,” “Parks and Recreation” and the upcoming Peacock comedy “Dig.” Her podcast “Good Hang With Amy Poehler” recently won the first-ever Golden Globe award for best podcast.
The trailblazer award singles out “visionaries whose innovative storytelling styles impact culture and
effect social change.” Previous recipients include Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Quinta Brunson and
Issa Rae. Besides “Rez Dogs,” Harjo is behind the FX series “The Lowdown,” which recently received a Season 2. “Rez Dogs” won two Peabody Awards, among other prizes.
As for the institutional award, it looks for “institutions and organizations, as well as series and programs, for their enduring body of work and their lasting impact on the media landscape and the public imagination.” Past recipients include “Saturday Night Live,” “Fresh Air with Terry Gross” and “60 Minutes.” PBS Kids is the children’s educational media brand of PBS, and launched as a dedicated programming block in 1999. Its programming for children ages 2 to 8 includes “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” “Carl the Collector,” “Wild Kratts” and “Alma’s Way.”
Also announced Wendesday, former Condé Nast head of podcasts Chris Bannon and Northwestern communications studies professor Aymar Jean Escoffery have joined the Board of Jurors of the Peabody Awards. KQED president/CEO Michael Isip has been named 2026 board chair, while Kudzi Chikumbu, VP of creator partnerships at Tubi, has joined the Interactive Board of Jurors.
Nominees for the 2026 Peabody Awards will be announced on April 7 and April 9, followed by a winners announcement later that month. The 2026 ceremony takes place May 31 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
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