Winner 1992

When the Salmon Runs Dry

KIRO-TV

In the view of the Peabody Board, this locally produced documentary was the equal of those cited in this and previous years from major networks and internationally recognized producers of nature and wildlife programming. Writer, producer, and music composer Ben Saboonchian, assisted by reporter Brian Wood, photographer Tom Matsuzawa and editor Peter Gamba, have crafted a work which not only explores the role of salmon in the life of the Pacific northwest, but also serves as a visual representation of the interplay between the forces involved in the larger question of the future of the environment. Without taking sides, and in a non-pedantic way, this program offers a voice to each of the major constituencies involved in the issue, from the Yakima Indians to the Army Corps of Engineers. For providing a model documentary for local television stations everywhere to emulate, a Peabody to When The Salmon Runs Dry.