The Grill Room The R.F.K. Media Antidote
Sep 9, 2025
Rick Berke, former Politico reporter and founder of STAT News, shares his journey of transforming STAT into a leading voice in life sciences journalism. He discusses the challenges subscription models face, particularly for legacy media outlets. The conversation highlights the critical role of science-driven health leadership and the unique storytelling necessary in health journalism, especially during the COVID pandemic. Berke also emphasizes how AI is reshaping newsrooms, revealing both risks and the opportunity for credible content.
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Why He Joined STAT
- Rick Berke left Politico to build a new life-sciences newsroom after months of research and interviews in Boston's biotech community.
- He believed strong journalistic stories existed there despite his lack of scientific background.
Independence Enabled Speed
- Starting STAT as an independent digital outlet freed it from legacy newsroom constraints and enabled rapid creation of brand, product, and business model.
- Being separate prevented the project from being subsumed by print-era processes that would have stalled it.
Launch A Paywall Early
- Build a quality newsroom that people will pay for and launch a paywall early to establish subscription culture.
- Focus on paying readers in the industry rather than relying solely on ad revenue.