Science Update Awarded 2006 Silver WorldMedal by New York Festivals

Science Update, AAAS's nationally syndicated radio program, has been awarded the 2006 Silver WorldMedal in the Science and Technology category by New York Festivals international competition.

The show, a daily 60-second spot featuring the latest scientific news and discoveries, was recognized from among eight other entries for its production values, organization, creativity, and use of the medium.

"We're just starting our 20th season on the air, and I think the last time we won a silver WorldMedal was back in 1988," says Hirshon, executive producer of Science Update. "It's gratifying to me that after all this time, we're still able to impress our peers in the radio industry."

Founded in 1957, New York Festivals recognizes advertising, programming, design, and marketing organizations for their creativity and effectiveness in global communication. NYF promotes competitions in over 65 countries, constantly seeking to recognize the best global communicators by recruiting quality entries and promoting exemplary, unbiased judging by communications professionals.

The competition was judged by panels of radio experts from stations and companies throughout the world. While the competition traditionally awards gold, sliver, and bronze medals, the panels of judges did not award a 2006 gold medal for the Science and Technology category.

Hirshon, along with producer and reporter Chelsea Wald and reporter Justin Warner, submitted an entry comprised of three stories; "Blind Basketball," a story describing a new form of basketball for blind people that uses a whistling ball and a sound-generating backboard; "Choir Effect," a segment highlighting research by a German physicist and conductor showing that while all of his singers were individually singing out of tune, the choir as a whole remained in tune; and "Fermenter," a show where Science Update answered a question from a curious viewer about the connection between fermenting vaccines and beer.

"I've learned about well over a thousand fascinating lines of research in every conceivable scientific field," said Warner. "Recognition like this shows that hopefully, it's as interesting and informative to listen to as it is to write."

First broadcasted in 1988, Science Update is currently heard on more than 20 radio stations and is frequently aired on Westwood One's "America in the Morning," beaming it to hundreds of additional stations nationwide.

In addition to the daily radio show, Science Update is now also available in digest form as a podcast, available on iTunes and other audio providers. Two shows per week are also now incorporated into the popular hour-long BBC radio program The Naked Scientists, heard throughout the United Kingdom, bringing Science Update to a whole new audience.

"When we started Science Update, there was very little science on commercial talk radio, even though the audience for these stations is many times larger than the audience for public radio," says Hirshon. "Today, there's even less science on these stations, and it's even more important that Science Update is out there, reaching these people."

Hirshon and his staff have won more than a dozen New York Festival awards, along with 10 Crystal Awards of Excellence from The Communicator Awards, an international competition honoring excellence in audio communications.

"We are incredibly proud of this award for Science Update," said Shirley Malcom, head of AAAS Education and Human Resources. "It is a recognition of our commitment to program excellence and to sharing science with the public."

Learn more about Science Update.

Listen to the prize winning entries:

• "Blind Basketball";
• "Choir Effect"; and
• "Fermenter".

Benjamin Somers

31 October 2006