Diagnosis: AIDS

The outbreak of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) in the United States has received exhaustive coverage in the broadcast media. In the view of the Peabody Board, however, few programs have matched the scope and depth of this KCTS production. Interspersed with the opinions of a range of national figures —including Patrick Buchanan and Rev. Jerry Falwell—the program brought viewers the latest facts about the causes and treatment of this baffling disease. In debunking a variety of persistent myths about AIDS, the program performed a vital public service to its viewing area, the ultimate criterion for Peabody recognition.