Judges’ comments:
This was a great piece. It wasn’t the first time I heard of an autism researcher pursuing this field because his own child was locked inside the world of these neurologic disorders. But it was the first time I heard a story, where researchers found the key to unlock one child’s silence. As I’m sure many listeners were, I was hoping this method would help the doctor’s son as well. I’ve covered a lot of autism stories, and this was a refreshing new angle, told in a very engaging way.
It was one of my favorites. Good use of sound bed and “nat” (natural) sound. Powerful use of words to draw pictures in the listener’s head. This narrator knows how to use radio. This is a finely crafted story that took a lot of research (author’s notes say it was years in the making).This is an amazing story and deserves an award.
1. Provide the title of your story or series and the names of the journalists involved.
A Scientist’s Saga: Give Son the Gift of Speech (MP3)
Mary Beth Kirchner – Producer/Writer
Chris Turpin – Editor/Executive Producer “All Things Considered,” National Public Radio
2. List date(s) this work was published or aired.
26-Nov-10
3. Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
What happens when a parent receives a diagnosis that his/her child has a condition where there is no known cure or treatment? And then what transpires when that same parent is also a scientist/researcher with the expertise to take matters into his/her own hands? This radio documentary profiles a neuroscientist who has advanced both treatment and research on autism — primarily because of his extraordinary devotion as a parent. Dr. Barry Gordon is a neurologist and a psychologist at Johns Hopkins University and a leading expert on memory and learning. When Gordon became interested in how human beings develop language, he never dreamed he’d have to confront it head on. His youngest son, Alex (age 18) is severely autistic and unable to speak. A dozen years ago, Gordon took an extended sabbatical from Hopkins to devote himself to research into his son’s condition. With the help of an anonymous donor (who also has a similarly severely autistic child), Gordon has developed a full-time home based education program for his donor’s child — resulting in some speech never thought possible in a severely autistic adolescent.
4. Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
N/A
5. Explain types of human sources used.
Producer Mary Beth Kirchner first met Dr. Gordon more than a dozen years ago when she first produced a profile of his work for ABC News “Nightline.” She has followed his story ever since in preparation for this feature about his ground-breaking research. “All Things Considered” was the first media outlet to tell his story.
6. Results (if any).
N/A
7. Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
N/A
8. Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
There are many stories that are years in development — that rely on building a genuine trust from your subjects over an extended period of time. This is such a story. And there are stories of scientific discovery that have great nuance when told not just as research but feature the individuals behind them. This subject’s experiences as a scientist and a father are equally compelling.