The History Channel and WNYC Studios’ “Blindspot: The Plague in the Shadows” Wins Peabody Award
(New York, NY – May 1, 2025) – WNYC Studios and The History Channel’s six-episode series “Blindspot: The Plague in the Shadows” has been recognized with a George Foster Peabody Award, one of broadcast media’s most prestigious honors. The full announcement from the Peabody Awards Board of Jurors may be found here: https://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/blindspot-the-plague-in-the-shadows/.
“Blindspot: The Plague in the Shadows” revisits the largely untold history of communities of color decimated by the HIV epidemic, who remained invisible in the public discussion. Hosted by WNYC’s Kai Wright with lead reporting by Lizzy Ratner of The Nation Magazine, “Blindspot: The Plague in the Shadows” takes listeners back to the mid-80s, when the virus tore through neighborhoods and communities of color. The series tells the story of the people most at risk, who were seen by politicians, policymakers, and the press to be expendable as the mysterious illness rapidly spread.
The Peabody Awards Board of Jurors said of the podcast:
“This powerful podcast reframes the AIDS crisis as a widespread, deeply interconnected struggle too often ignored by mainstream society. Through six episodes filled with firsthand accounts, it highlights the resilience and solidarity that emerged in the absence of national leadership.”
“’Blindspot’ exemplifies the best of WNYC – deeply reported storytelling that illuminates a part of New York City’s history,” said LaFontaine E. Oliver, President and CEO, New York Public Radio. “We’re grateful to the Peabody judges for recognizing this work and we’re proud that this work will preserve these stories and voices for generations to come.”
“Receiving a Peabody Award for ‘Blindspot: The Plague in the Shadows’ is profoundly meaningful. This recognition validates our efforts to bring to light the untold stories of communities of color devastated by HIV/AIDS who remained invisible in the national conversation,” said Kenya Young, Senior Vice President of WNYC Studios and Programming. “We knew it was time to reframe the historical narrative around this epidemic and honor those who fought against overwhelming odds with limited resources by letting them tell their own stories. Our small but dedicated team poured their hearts into ensuring these voices and experiences would finally be heard and acknowledged. The series is brilliantly done and we hope it continues to educate, inspire, and remind us all that no community should ever be considered expendable.”
The winners of the 85th Annual Peabody Awards were announced earlier today by the Peabody Awards Board of Jurors. The winners of the 85th annual Peabody Awards will be celebrated on Sunday, June 1 at a ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles, hosted by Roy Wood Jr.
In past years, WNYC has earned Peabody Awards for programs including Radiolab, The Brian Lehrer Show, On The Media, On The Media’s “The Divided Dial,” and Radio Rookies, as well as for its newsroom’s reporting on Chris Christie. WQXR, New York Public Radio’s classical station, also won a Peabody Award for Meet the Composer.
ABOUT WNYC STUDIOS
WNYC Studios is the premier producer of on-demand and broadcast audio, and home to some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and popular podcasts, including Radiolab, On the Media, and The New Yorker Radio Hour. WNYC Studios productions have been honored with Edward R. Murrow Awards, George Foster Peabody Awards, duPont-Columbia Awards, Webby Awards and more. WNYC Studios is leading the new golden age in audio with podcasts and national radio programs that inform, inspire, and delight millions of curious and highly engaged listeners across digital, mobile, and broadcast platforms. Programs include personal narratives, deep journalism, revealing interviews, and smart entertainment as varied and intimate as the human voice itself. For more information, visit wnycstudios.org.