David Attenborough, 'AfroPop Worldwide' Receive Peabody Honors
The producer and radio program will be recognized at a ceremony next month.
— -- A British host-producer-conservationist and a public radio series that explores the influence of African music are the recipients of special Peabody Award commendations.
Sir David Attenborough will be recognized with the Peabody’s 2014 Individual Life Achievement honor for his six-decade career producing and hosting television programs about the natural world, the Peabody organization announced Tuesday.
Attenborough has won previous Peabodys for two of his documentaries, "The Private Life of Plants" (1995) and "The Life of Birds" (1999). The Peabody organization described Attenborough's body of work as “beautiful, innovative” and influencing “a generation of natural history documentarians.”
“AfroPop Worldwide” will be recognized with Peabody’s Institutional award for its 26 seasons of a weekly, hour-long program and website focused on the musical cultures of Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas and the Middle East.
Peabody officials described the show as, “at once a dance party and master class,” adding, “It’s got a great beat and you can learn from it.”
Attenborough and "AfroPop" will receive their awards next month, along with the rest of the 2014 winners, at the organization’s 74th annual awards ceremony. The May 31 ceremony will be a red-carpet affair hosted by “Portlandia” star and “Saturday Night Live” alumnus Fred Armisen in New York City.
The Peabodys recognize excellence in a wide range of electronic media. The awards are overseen by the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
The 2014 Peabody honorees for entertainment will be revealed live Thursday on “Good Morning America.”
Winners in the categories of news and radio will be announced on April 20, while winners for documentary, web/interactive, public service, education and children’s programming will be announced on April 23.