The Peabody Award Board of Jurors announced some special honorees for this year’s ceremony. Amy Poehler will receive the Career Achievement Award, and Sterlin Harjo will be honored with the Trailblazer Award. PBS KIDS will be given the Institutional Award.
A full list of Peabody Award nominees for 2026 will be announced in early April.
“These honorees represent the very best of storytelling in media and the profound impact it can have on culture,” said Jeffrey Jones, Executive Director of the Peabody Awards. “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.”
Honorees
Poehler’s Career Achievement Award is in recognition of her exceptional body of work and its significant impact on media and culture. She is a multi-award-winning actress, writer, director, executive producer, New York Times bestselling author, Podcaster, and founder of Paper Kite Productions. Her podcast Good Hang with Amy Poehler won the inaugural Best Podcast award at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards. Alongside being a Golden Globe winner for NBC’s Parks and Recreation. And she is the 1st Saturday Night Live alum to win Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
Previous Peabody Career Achievement Award recipients include Andrea Mitchell, Mel Brooks, and Sam Pollard.
Harjo is receiving the Trailblazer Award in recognition of his innovative storytelling and its impact on culture and social change. Harjo is a MacArthur Genius Award-winner, writer, director, and showrunner. He created, wrote, directed, and executive-produced FX and Hulu’s The Lowdown. He previously served as showrunner, co-creator, and director of FX’s Reservation Dogs.
Previous recipients of the Peabody Trailblazer Award include Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Quinta Brunson, and inaugural winner Issa Rae.
PBS KIDS
The Peabody Institutional Award recognizes institutions and organizations for their enduring bodies of work and impact on the media landscape and public imagination.
The children’s educational media brand of the Public Broadcasting Service, PBS KIDS, will be receiving the honor this year. PBS KIDS programming is designed for young audiences through trusted and research-backed content, award-winning games, and community-based initiatives. Since its launch in 1999, it has backed children’s programming visionaries like Fred Rogers and Jim Henson. All to support children learning anytime, anywhere, through its partnership with local PBS stations across the country.
Previous Peabody Institutional Award recipients include Saturday Night Live, Fresh Air with Terry Gross, and 60 Minutes.
A full list of nominees for the 2026 Peabody Awards will be announced on April 7th and April 9th. The 86th annual Peabody Awards ceremony will be held on May 31 in Beverly Hills.
