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Steve Adubato we kick off the program with George Helmy executive vice president, chief corporate affair officer at RWA Barnabas Health.

Good to see you, George.

Great to be back with you, Steve.

Thanks for having me.

So much to unpack here.

Talk to us right out of the box about this initiative innovation at our WJ Barnabas Health to fully disclose a long time and significant underwriter of our programing and the new Jersey Economic Development Authority all around the life sciences.

What's that about, George?

Yeah, we're so proud of this initiative, Steve.

You know, new Jersey is, as you know, and you've covered is really the bastion of innovation, from the lightbulb to advancements in life sciences to the incredible health care that our WJ and others in new Jersey provide.

And this is a transformative investment.

We've partnered with the NJ EDA and Portal Innovations which is a group out of Chicago, to really build a unique opportunity for the innovation ecosystem so that when we have innovators or our researchers and our partner at Rutgers University, or our clinical physicians who are doing research and laboratories have the ability to work with advisors and consultants and collaborators to spin that idea into a business.

And then with this fund, they now have opportunities for precede and seed funding to actually commercialize it.

And the idea is less abou commercializing these products.

It's really about how do you get things from the lab bench to the bedside quicker?

And if you think about the connective tissue between Rutgers innovation, capitalizing these opportunities, and then a system of our size and scale, we think we're going t transform the delivery of care and connect this to the helix, because our good friend Chris Paladino, the folks down at the helix, is there a helix connection?

Totally.

Our hub is located in the Helix and Portal Innovations is also located in the helix element managing a lot of this investments.

Well I want to talk about all the thing that our WJ Barnabas Health is.

You mentioned Chris Paladino, who is just such an innovator in this space and has taken the disparate and disconnected innovation ecosystems that have been happening in small places across the state and really brought it to New Brunswick, where you have your top health care systems, you have your top universities, and now you have real capital to invest in these entrepreneurs.

He has gone out of Steve Dog.

Check out previous interview that we've done with our friend Chris Paladino about the development of the helix, why the helix matters in so many levels.

Another initiative I want to jump into, stay well, learn well in cooperation team.

Talk about that.

Yeah.

We've worked closely with Governor Sheryl and as the state's largest academic health system, and one, as you and your team have covered, does as much medicine and care outside of our four walls as we do inside of our four walls.

We had the opportunity to be first and largest mover with the Stay well, Learn Well program under Governor Charles administration to use clinics and school giveaways and fairs and take our pediatric vans an go meet people where they are.

So there are kids are healthier and can stay healthy through the school year and can learn better.

And again, see, you're you're a master at this.

But it's so important.

This is not and it's not right to say merel about the health of the child, but a healthy child will learn better.

A child who learns better will do better in school and their economic opportunity in their career.

The trajectory is incredible.

I want to follow up on what Georgia said, by the way.

Wave background.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention George was a United States senator, one of only 100.

As we know, based on the last time I checked the Constitution, only 100.

And also the former chief of staff to former Governor Phil Murphy.

So you mentioned I don't want to up a Pandora's box, but you said media misinformation.

We're doing an initiative called Trust in Public Health and also about vaccine awareness.

There's tremendous confusion.

I won't get on my soapbox.

Debate measles.

Well, where is it coming from?

Well, less fewe people are getting vaccinated.

George, how important is it that we in the media continue to provide fact based information, scientifically supported information about public health slash vaccine because people are confused.

Some are confused.

You mentioned, Steve, my my prior experience in public service.

And so wearing both hats, I tell you, independent and accurate and fact based journalism is not only critical, essential to healthy and informed communities, it's essential to a healthy and informed democracy.

And I'll get on my soapbox a little bit.

And it's one of the reasons at our WJ Barnabas Health, we make investments, as you mentioned, in underwriting program like this and others who tell.

And publi broadcasting for years I'm sorry tell the accurate stor because the more our communities know what's happening in their towns where they can get real information that will only make us better, but also ensure that you are seeking the right care.

Because building that trust between health care system or provider and in the individual is how we don't go back.

And as you mentioned, we've had our first case in new Jersey in many years in measles.

There's been outbreaks in neighboring states, and these things are directl related to lower vaccine rates.

How much harder does it make it for the clinicians within the organization to do their job, particularly when it comes to children in the MMR vaccine?

The parents who make decisions, I'm not sure.

Do I really need What about if we break them up?

What about and I'm not going to.

It's not about criticizing one political leader or another, but there is confusion.

How much harder does it make it for the clinicians at our WJ Barnabas Health to do their job in protecting us, particularly our children?

Well, the way I would answer that actually is going to be a positive answer, I think because of the magnitude or the the value and the credibilit that our providers have, whether it be your physician, your, your nurse at your bedside.

So while it's made it more challenging, the deeper level of conversation and that doctor at the bedside is still the trusted source.

And we're lucky at RWA Barnabas Healt AB among the best and brightest.

George, you mentioned Claude AI, and I'm no going to go down a rabbit hole and, you know, can't get out of in terms of good bad.

It is nice here.

How significant is artificial intelligence in providin meaningful, substantive health care and what, if any, concerns do you have?

That's a great way of saying it, Steve.

It's here.

And so it's how do we utilize it for its best and highest use and where we're all in, in advanced in technology and you know, you've covered this before.

So it's important to say these things are not cheap.

But these advancements to be the most innovative, health care system, you know require significant resources.

And with federal cuts coming.

That's one of the many things that systems are going to have struggle with is making investments in human capital, physical infrastructure and obviously innovation.

But to answer your question specifically, we are really high on this.

And actually, we're so proud that just a few months ago in the new year, the New England Journal of Medicine, we had a published study about our utilization of AI in our systems to reduce to reduce mortality rates in our patients by double digits and improve patient quality and patient outcomes.

And so utilizing that technology to find things quicker, to be able to do more with the data that's on hand to help clinicians.

And having that human in and on the loop is going to be transformative to healthcare.

I also do think it's going to give patients more access to records, more of an understanding of what your lab results mean to you, but it's always going to require that human interaction to understand what that means for you and what the best strategy for care is.

You know, we talk about access, right?

Access to technology, access to quality healthcare.

The other piece of this and there's obviously a, a gap, a chasm, if you will, between those who have access, those who have means and those who are in underserved communities, not just with technology, but access to quality healthcare.

Talk about the initiatives and talk about why that's so significant at your organization, where we're a national leader in this space.

When we talk about community health and social impact, it's not a throwaway line.

It's hundreds of millions of dollars a year in investments outside of our four walls.

As you said, Steve we believe that every new Jersey and regardless of zip code, if you're in our catchment area, you deserve access to care.

It should be affordabl and it should be the best care regardless of what zip code you live in or where you happen to be to be born and raised.

And that has led us to say, how do we make investments with our community partners to get, as you said earlier, invest in stay well and learn well so kids can be vaccinated and get their physicals and be ready on the first day of school.

How do you drive primary care in our urban neighborhoods so our children have access to primary care?

How do you embolden and empower our federally qualified health centers to provide more care?

Have pharmacies embedded there so that people working 2 or 3 jobs can't go one day to the doctor, the next day to the pharmacy, the third day to the dietitian, have that all in one place.

And we're so prou of the investments we've made, and we are already seein the results, both in community and reductions in visits to our emergency departments.

Nice question.

Organizations like RWA, Barnabas Health, hospitals, hospital systems across the country.

Health care professionals on some level are very dependent upon government funding, particularly Medicaid and Medicare.

And again, because of your experience in the United States Senate engaging in debating in these issues.

What is your greatest concern about the federal cuts to Medicare and Medicaid?

Well, H.R.

one, which was known as the Big Beautiful bill, is a devastating bill to health care services not only in new Jersey, but you're already seeing systems across the country in red and blue states, pull back services, and some are threatening foreclosure, and it's jus a broken reimbursement system.

And if you continue to squeeze reimbursement levels, as I said earlier in the program, Stephen, well, that's going to come from somewhere.

It's going to come from services.

It's going to come from investment in people.

It's going to come from investment in the latest technolog or investment in your capital.

And at some point, you make it so unsustainable that you close the building, which we have seen in new Jersey recently with hospital closures.

And so, you know, we have a great delegation, congressional delegation, State of New Jersey already working with them on mitigation efforts.

And I think everybody understands because they're starting to see the impact again in red and blue congressional districts or states, the impact of this bill, it will make affordable health care unsustainable in the country.

To George's point, check out and Steve Adubato.

We did in-depth interviews with Senator Booker and Senato Kim on a whole range of issues.

A big part o those conversations were about what George is talking abou right now, those federal cuts, the federal cuts, how you describe H.R.

one, what you want to call it what you don't want to call it.

These are facts.

George Helmy Executive Vice President, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, RWA Barnaba Health cannot thank you enough.

All the best to you and the team, George.

Thank you, Steve, to see more State of Affairs with Steve Adubato programs, find us online and follow us on social media.

We are honored once again to be joined by Stephanie Murray, director of the center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University's College of Communication and Media.

Stephanie, good to see you again.

It's good to see you, too, Steve.

Thanks for having me.

You got it.

This is part of our ongoing series, media matters.

You'll see the information come up.

Also produced in cooperation with our newly established foundation, the Atlanta Center for Media Leadership.

But what is way more important is that Montclair State University, if you haven't heard, is the new operator of public broadcasting in the great state of new Jersey, NJ, PBS.

First of all, congratulations, Stephanie, to yo and the team at the university.

Thank you.

It's it's been a wild ride the last several months, bu we're really excited to steward this incredibly important public treasure in our state.

Yeah.

And actually we're taping literally a couple of weeks before October 1st when that happens officially around the 15th of September.

Talk to folk before we talk about civilian, which is an important initiative, and you'll explain why it matters.

Why is public broadcasting and operating public broadcasting for the university for you as a media professional, as a academic who also has been hands on in media?

Why is it so important to yo professionally and personally?

This whole adventure has been a highlight of my career, to be honest with you.

We really believe strongl at the center that I work with and here at the College of Music and Media in a robust civic infrastructure for information in our state and across the countr to having access to nonpartisan, factual information is critical for democracy.

And it's really, really important that we not only preserve public media in new Jersey, but grow it and innovate so that it can continue to evolve with the needs of residents of the state of new Jersey and be able to have a hand in that is really exciting.

Stephanie, for those who don't know and put up the website for the center for Cooperative Media, what is that at Montclair?

What is it?

Why does it matter so much?

So the center for Cooperative Media is a journalism support organizatio that's based at Montclair State.

We were started in 2012 to help suppor the new Jersey news ecosystem.

After the Great Recession that started in 2008, when there was a huge wave of layoffs and downsizing in the state.

And that was about the same time that there were a lot of hyperlocal started in new Jersey.

So and that was also right afte the transfer of W of the NJPW, which is now NJPW at that time, W 18.

And that's right, for a lot of years, for 15 years, a long time.

Yeah.

And so this has been we have been around since the to support the news ecosystem.

We really focused on hyper local news organizations at the very beginning of our center.

But today we work with news organizations, big and small, across new Jersey and around the country.

In new Jersey, we provide professional development, communications, all sorts of training support, some direct support.

We are kind of a one stop shop for organizations that need support, individual journalists that need support, and helping to better serve their communities.

And then we do research here.

We reach the state of the local news ecosystem.

Last week, we released a paper examining news influencers on social media.

Two weeks prior to that, we released a report that just looked at the overal ecosystem of news in the state.

So we also analyzed and keep track o what's happening in new Jersey and then nationally were know for collaboration in journalism.

We run a collaborative journalism program where we coach people how to work with each other across organizational lines.

You know, I've had several conversations, several interviews with you.

Stephanie, I've never asked you this.

Yeah, I know, I know, it sounds like a cliche sometimes, but it's still important.

What's your why?

As to why media matters so much for yo professionally and personally?

That's a great question.

I have always been a storyteller.

Ever since I was little.

I was one of those people as a child that was always taking notes and making up stories.

And I believe really deeply in, people's access to news and information that they can use to liv their daily lives with dignity.

Information is a commodity.

Information, and also in many cases, is a public good and a human right.

And I just believe strongly that open and free access to information is something that every person who, I mean, every person in the world, but especially every person who lives in our country should have access to.

And I think a lot of people I think more people know today, but still a lot of people don't quite understand how much narrative drives decisions in this country and around the world.

The story that we tell each other and how we're interpreting the world around us, and how we're explaining that to others, drives so many decisions.

And I think a lot of people see that more today because of social media and media matters, which is a new podcast that we've created.

Also, the name of a cours I'm teaching at Montclair, a one credit course, which I'm excite about with our colleague Chloe Swift, will be working with me on that, who's our senior producer of One on One and also an alum of Montclair State University.

Why am I saying all that?

Because media does matter more than ever, and media is changing dramatically.

And I'm not going to get on my soapbox.

But I do know this media professional need more help than ever before, which is what leads me to this civilian.

What the heck is it?

The heck is this?

So one of the thing that our center also does is try to provide tools, and, and other kinds of infrastructure that help local journalism survive.

So right now, for example we have the new Jersey Newswire, which is a new wire service for small news organizations.

We're starting an advertising network helping use organizations access advertising that they might not otherwise be able to land.

And we've also started with civilians.

So civilian is a too that was built for journalists that helps to scrape, tag, categorize, summarize public meetings.

Hold on.

What do you mean?

Great.

What does that mean?

Yeah.

So scrape means go to the website of the public organization, whatever it may be, whether it's your town council or your school board, and take the information from public meetings so publicly available information and put it into our database, that's what it means.

I it's so it it I wouldn' call it AI because it's a tool.

But they have some AI elements to the tool.

Yeah, there's some automatio and there's some AI used in it.

It was built for journalists, and it basically helps journalists track what's happening in public meetings, because we have lost 80% of local journalists in the United States ove the last, what, 20 some years?

Huge decline.

And we see that in new Jersey, especially becaus we have so many municipalities that don't have anyone covering them.

No one's at the school board meetings.

No one's going to these town council meetings.

And this is being this i happening all over the country.

Stephanie.

Tell folks, tell folks why that tell folks outside of our world of journalism and media why that matters so much to them.

So that matters to you.

Because when there is no one to watch what's happening or to take, you know, any sort of notes or report back what's happening in your town government, that means that oftentimes if you don't go searching that information out yourself, you're not going to know what's happening.

Research show that a lack of accountability, also lack of journalists watching, leads down the roa to higher rates of corruption.

Misspelling of money.

People lose trust in government and also voting goes down.

And so this is a civic healt issue as much as anything else.

Everything you just described, at least as I interpret it, talks about those of us in media as, stewards not only of what we do professionally, but also as we are there to b helpful to the general public.

We are there because the general public doesn't have the time.

The average person should not be expected to do that.

I don't know why I have a bug somewhere about this enemy of the people when I. I couldn't care less about anyone's politics.

And if you've watched so long, long watched us long enough to know you can't guess my politics because it's irrelevant to what I do here.

And here's why I'm saying it.

Enemy of the people.

That phrase is used a lot about the media.

That's a dangerous phrase.

That's a dangerous mentality, not just for those of us in the media, but way more importantly for you watching right now.

I'm off my soapbox.

Stephanie.

Yeah.

So civilian was built to help journalists be able to track public meetings because so many journalists today have to cover multiple municipalities.

And so there's been a lot o efforts across the United States and a bunch of different vendors to do this.

There's the documentary program that City Bureau of Chicago runs, which has been teste in new Jersey, that sends people to a public meeting to take notes.

But when you when you have always trying t send people to public meetings, you have to have enough people You have to have them trained.

They have to be willing and able to go.

It just introduces a lot of potential for error.

But if we are putting into a database and scraping things that are already publicly available and making it easy for easier for journalists to track what was said at the meeting, what was voted on, who said what?

Find a quick video clip.

Find a quick quote.

It just makes their job a lot easier to be able then to relay that information to the public.

And we liked civilian because it was built for journalists.

And it's been it's continuing to be tested to make sure that it's summarizing correctly, because there's some AI usage and summarizing and looking for correct clips, but it's been pretty good.

And it will look at the agenda.

It will look at what the meeting minutes are and it can match things up.

And it really paves the way for journalists then to call up those officials and say, hey, you, you voted on this, you said this, you did this.

Why?

So it enables that, that human reporting afterwar kind of clears the way for that.

It doe sound like enemy of the people.

To me.

It sounds like being helpful to people.

That's right.

Final question on this.

Yeah, I spend too much.

Not too much.

I' not I'm not going to complain.

I spent a lot of my time raising money.

Why?

Because public, not for profit media is expensive.

Media is expensive.

Everything is expensive.

How concerned are you about the economics of media, which Montclair is going to have to deal with operating a PBS?

Why is that a relevant issue to independent journalism media that helps people make sense of their lives?

Load a question I know minute left.

Yeah.

So I spend most of my day actually thinking about that questio about how we can build revenue for these organization around the state of new Jersey.

And now for PBS, because it's right here down the stairs from me.

The answer right now is diversification is that most media organizations have to make sure that they are bringin in multiple streams of revenue.

We still have a lot of news organizations in new Jersey that bring in a very strong advertising revenue stream.

So that's not dead.

But to be successful today, you just have to look at multiple streams.

I have to say that I am a little concerned, looking ahead about news organizations that rely on philanthropic donations because the philanthropic scene is really starting to change quite a bit.

There has been a push for more philanthropy to go into news, and we have a lot of news nonprofits in the state, they're popping up all the time and people are converting.

But I am a little worried as I look toward 2028, is what's going to happen with the philanthropic scene, because folks are starting to pull back.

So that's my caution.

Stephanie, let's continue the conversation.

We'll be talking to you in the future.

And many of your colleagues at Montclair as part of our media matters series.

And once again, congratulations for being the operator of the network, but also an incredible challenge and it matters to all of us.

Stephanie Murray from Montclair State University, thanks so much, Stephanie.

Thank you Steve.

I'm Steve Adubato, and I will not get on my soapbox, but media matters a lot.

See you next time.

State of affairs with Steve Adubato is a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Funding has been provided by the new Jersey Economic Development Authority, New Brunswick Development Corporation, the Audubon Center for Media Leadership, peace, and Joy Valley Bank, edg I Excellence in Medicine Awards, a new Jersey Health Foundation program, Delta Dental of New Jersey, new Jersey Public Charter Schools Association, and by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Promotional support provided by best of NJ.com and by C, I and J. And Commerce magazine The Edge Excellence in Medicin Awards was established in 1939.

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E.g.

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