By Paul Efland. On the day before the official announcement of the 57th annual Peabody Awards, a publicist from 60 Minutes called to check on the number of Peabodys won by the show over the years. I told the publicist that the show had won six in the past, but that the new number was seven and suggested they patch me through to Hewitt. Such is generally the reaction to the news that a program has won what is widely considered to be the most prestigious award in the broadcast and cable industry. Administered since 1940 by UGA's College of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Peabodys differ from other industry awards because they are given solely on the basis of merit, rather than within designated categories.
Judges are under no restrictions on the number of annual winners.
CBS's 60 Minutes won an institutional award for ongoing exellence, as did Sunday Morning, another venerable CBS program. Turner got word of his award on opening day of the Braves season. CNN president Tom Johnson, a UGA alumnus, arranged for Sherman and President Michael Adams and his wife, Mary, to sit in Turnered for Sherman and President Michael Adams and his wife, Mary, to sit in Turner's box. The awards will be presented at a May 11 ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York and Turner has promised to be there, says Sherman. A Warning from History.