83rd Annual Peabody Awards Cancels In-Person Ceremony Amid The Writers’ Strike

The 83rd Annual Peabody Awards in-person ceremony has been canceled amid the writers’ strike that began on May 2, 2023. According to Peabody’s official statement, “As an organization dedicated to honoring the most compelling and empowering stories in broadcasting and streaming media, we recognize and respect the position that many of this year’s Peabody Award winners find themselves in.”

The organization described how "ongoing uncertainty and meaningful challenges that exist industrywide" influenced its choice. The 83rd annual Peabody Awards presentation was scheduled for June 11, 2023, in Los Angeles. The presentation was to be Peabody's first in-person ceremony since 2019 — as well as the first time the Awards had ever been held in Los Angeles — and was to be hosted by Shrinking star Jessica Williams. Issa Rae and Lily Tomlin were to receive honorary prizes at the occasion. Peabody has apologized for not honoring the 2023 winners on a grander scale.

The strike has not just hampered the Peabody Awards event. Last week, it was revealed that the Tony Awards will not be telecast on June 11, 2023, as planned, because the Writers Guild of America (WGA) denied the organizers' waiver request. The MTV Movie Awards were similarly switched from a live ceremony to a pre-recorded show on May 7, 2023, after the WGA threatened to picket the event. In sympathy with the WGA, host Drew Barrymore also dropped out before the show switched to pre-taping. Following the formatting change, the guild canceled its picket.