Winner 1982

Search for Alexander

WWL-TV

WWL-TV is no stranger to the Peabody Awards. Indeed, no commercial television station has won more than his this New Orleans giant. Search for Alexander follows in the great tradition of previous winners. It is professionally photographed, exceptionally well-written and bears the distinctive and distinguished touch of the talented Phil Johnson. Anticipating the arrival of the Alexander exhibit in New Orleans, WWL-TV sent a documentary team abroad, headed by Phil Johnson and including the outstanding cinematographer/editor, James Tolhurst. Their concern was that the exhibit would be shown, not merely as a series of exhibit items from the past, but would be presented in the context of place and time that would make it more understandable and meaningful. The resulting documentary provided flesh and bones to the gold and silver of the exhibit. It made the history of the times live. It gave meaning to what could have been only mere objects. The Peabody Board found Search for Alexander to be a television production of the highest order and for this, a Peabody Award.