Before the documentary was completed, Coca-Cola asked Mendelson if he had a Christmas television special. He said "yes." The next day he called Schulz and said they were making a Christmas special featuring Charlie Brown and the "Peanuts "characters, in which he collaborated with both Schulz and Melendez. Titled "A Charlie Brown Christmas", it was first aired on the CBS network on December 9, 1965. The special's primary goal is showing "the true meaning of Christmas". Before its broadcast, the people involved in the special's creation were worried that it might be a project blow, with its unorthodox soundtrack and explicit religious message. It was, however, a huge success, with the number of homes watching the special an estimated 15,490,000, placing it at number two in the ratings, behind "Bonanza" on NBC. The special's score made an equally pervasive impact on viewers who would later perform jazz, among them David Benoit and George Winston. The special was honored with both an Emmy and Peabody Award.