Two local stations have received 2018 Peabody Nominations.
KXAS, the NBC-owned station in Dallas and WVUE, the Raycom-owned Fox affiliate in New Orleans are being recognized for their work.
“True to tradition, we are proud to present a rich mix of excellence in the craft of storytelling,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of the Awards, which are based at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. “These stories reflect important social issues and exemplify the power of diverse voices and platforms in media today.”
KXAS’s year-long series breaks down spending and scandal in Dallas County Schools.
“Exposed a web of corruption, financial mismanagement, and conflicts of interest at a government agency charged with getting children to school safely each day,” according to the Peabody website.
FOX 8’s series, in partnership with Nola.com, has helped hundreds of medical patients hold the healthcare system accountable for high costs.
“Our Cracking the Code investigative series saved one New Orleans woman $3,700. More and more consumers and even healthcare providers are contributing pricing information to our online interactive tool, giving our viewers information to save money,” according to the FOX 8 site.
While the main Peabody nominees were announced Tuesday, today the Board of Jurors announced that Carol Burnett will receive the first-ever Peabody Career Achievement, presented by Mercedes-Benz.
“Carol Burnett is one of the all-time greats of television comedy. Her wit and talent set the bar for women in entertainment,” said Jeffrey P. Jones, executive director of Peabody. “Suffice it to say there would be no Gilda Radner, Julia Louis-Dreyfus or Tina Fey without her blazing the trail. We are pleased to celebrate the many contributions of a beloved TV icon.”
Peabody jurors first recognized Burnett with a Personal Award in 1962.
There are 60 Peabody nominees this year from more than 1,200 submissions. The winners will be announced at the 77th Annual Peabody Awards ceremony hosted by Daily Show correspondent Hasan Minhaj on May 19 in New York City.