Missouri School of Journalism Senior Makes Worldwide Impact with 14-part Autism Series on KOMU

Holly Edgell Radio-TV Journalism Faculty Stacey Woelfel Radio-TV Journalism Faculty

Links

Centers for Disease Control Combating Autism from Within Environmental Protection Agency Federal Drug Administration Johnson & Johnson KOMU Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders University of Kentucky University of Missouri

Columbia, Mo. (March 6, 2008) -- Missouri School of Journalism radio-television journalism senior Ashley Reynolds will enter the job market after graduating this December with an impressive resume credential under her belt - a 14-part series on autism that not only reached an estimated 150,000 viewers in the mid-Missouri area, but also received worldwide attention for the depth of the reporting.

Reynolds' initial assignment was to discuss an autism study on KOMU-TV, the only university-owned commercial affiliate in the United States used as a training lab for students. The study, conducted at the University of Missouri's Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders in June 2007, broached a small piece of the controversial debate about whether vaccines cause autism. The study found no related link between autism in children and mercury exposure during pregnancy through a specific vaccine. Reynolds interviewed a Mid-Missouri mother of an autistic child who disagreed with parts of the study, which was funded by Johnson & Johnson, the maker of the vaccine in question. Other studies in the field have cited a link, leaving room for a heated debate.

Ashley Reynolds

The story ran, and Reynolds was ready to move on to her next assignment.

Unbeknownst to Reynolds, her report on KOMU's Web site quickly became viral. Parents of autistic children shared the link with each other through various Internet sites, and word spread around the nation. Reynolds received 75 e-mails about the story, and that's when she realized that one story could be expanded with a larger series.

The resulting series, Combating Autism From Within, looks at autism, its underlying causes, the Midwest families affected by the disorder and potential treatments for the condition. She and a student team of producers spent six months researching, interviewing and writing the series. They traveled to four states and 10 cities. The series ran this past December on KOMU. The experience of reporting on a large and somewhat controversial health issue gave the students deeper insights into how their work affects citizens.

Stacey Woelfel, the station's news director and a radio-television journalism professor, gave the go-ahead for the project based on Reynolds' passion and her commitment to make the story something meaningful for those affected in some way by autism.

"Students have tackled big projects like this before, though perhaps Ashley has done it more single-handedly than I have seen in a long time," he said.

Reynolds took advantage of her Missouri Journalism training, the expertise of her faculty editors and her desire to get to the bottom of a story to produce a series that rivals the work of any professional reporter – and just like a professional, she learned how to deal with public response to a controversial issue.

Parents, doctors and scientists both applauded and criticized the research that Reynolds cited in the investigation portions of the series. Six of the 14 parts discussed mercury and vaccines. The studies suggested that mercury levels in children's vaccines could be a contributing factor in the rise of autism because in some cases, children with the condition cannot process mercury normally. Reynolds also learned that some researchers earn consulting fees from some of the country's top pharmaceutical makers to study a potential link between vaccines and autism.

"Every day I get e-mails from doctors and parents all around the world telling me we have broken ground by questioning the CDC (the Centers for Disease Control) and exposing possible conflicts of interest," Reynolds said. "Because researchers are being paid by vaccine makers as they test their products and conduct studies, it might hinder us from knowing the truth about possible damages of mercury in some vaccines along with other toxins."

"The fact that so many doctors, scientists, and parents are crying foul and claim to have toxicology research to support that these kids are mercury toxic makes it newsworthy," she said. "So, this debate is far from over."

In the process of reporting the series, Reynolds performed exhaustive research, contacted multiple sources and conducted rigorous fact-checking. Several faculty members reviewed the scripts before the stories went to air.

Reynolds' sources included respected researchers and doctors from all sides of the issue: a microbiologist who consulted for the CDC, Federal Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency; a doctor with the nationally recognized Thompson Center; and a mercury expert chemist from the University of Kentucky.

Reynolds helped build and maintain a blog about the autism series on the KOMU Web site, receiving comments from as far away as Europe and Africa.

KOMU executive producer and assistant professor of journalism Holly Edgell said the blog allowed families and doctors to express their feelings on the issue and involved citizens in the journalistic process.

"The Web site is chock full of extra content, much of it original and produced for the Web," Edgell said. "The slideshows, behind-the-scenes information and the extended interviews with sources make the series all the richer. The Web also points our audience to resources for families dealing with autism. Of course, the blog was huge. It has become a community for people from around the country and the world."

After graduation, Reynolds said she wants continue special projects reporting and start an ombudsman service at a television station. Both Woelfel and Edgell have high hopes for her future.

"I think Ashley was already a good reporter with great instincts before the series, but her journalistic journey has really honed her skills, opened her eyes to how different interests will try to sway coverage, and the kind of criticism from unhappy constituencies that is hard for seasoned journalists to handle, let alone a college senior," Edgell said. "When the time comes for her to graduate, she will have a lot of options when it comes to picking an employer, because of her maturity, experience and integrity."

Reynolds said the experience taught her about the importance of journalism to society.

"This project improved my skepticism. It also taught me to never underestimate the power of a story," Reynolds said. "We have received thousands of comments from around the world thanks to the Internet. A woman told me I gave her daughter with autism, who is non-verbal, a voice. E-mails and letters like this can really touch your heart as a journalist."

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