Patenting genetics! And GLBT health in South Africa.

My first two stories at VOA News are figuratively hot off the presses!

The first was an explanation of the Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn patents on specific genes, which, unlike many court cases, had plaintiffs on both sides of the aisle walking away smiling.

The second is MY FIRST RADIO PIECE! Reporting on a new survey that ascertained levels of consensual homosexuality and male-male sexual violence in South Africa, and how the findings might relate to the fight against HIV in a social sense.

 
I feel like gloating a little: I owe a lot to the excellent mentoring environment here at VOA, because this radio piece is almost entirely mine from very start to very end. I found the upcoming story, pitched the story to amenable editors, taped interviews with Drs. Dunkle and Jewkes, edited soundbites from those interviews, wrote my narrative, spoke and recorded my narrative, stitched the whole shebang together using in-house audio editing software, and sent it off to be on radio. Given the nature of VOA, I have no idea where this will broadcast, but I know it won’t be the US. Most likely Africa.

Radio, guys! It’s really, really radio!