New Mexico in Focus; Film Industry Incentives

KNME-TV (Television station : Albuquerque, N.M.) · March 20, 2009

Incentives have been luring lucrative film and television productions to the Land of Enchantment, but is the $55 million spent each year worth the return? Ahead on New Mexico in Focus, a talk with lawmakers, insiders, and industry experts on both sides of the debate. Also ahead this week – now that the sentencing is over, what can New Mexico learn from the aftermath of the largest kickback scandal in the state? Plus, democratic candidates in the Albuquerque mayoral race are dropping like flies, and the question of whether Bless Me Ultima, the movie, can do justice to the book? Hosts: Gene Grant, Freelance Journalist, Variety Magazine and David Alire Garcia, Managing Editor, NMIndependent.com Panelists: Jim Scarantino, Albuquerque Journal Columnist; Whitney Cheshire, Political Consultant. Guest Panelists: Marjorie Childress, Reporter, NMIndependent.com; John Wertheim, Former New Mexico Democratic Party Chairman. Rep. Dennis Kintigh, (R) Roswell; Jon Hendry, Business Agent, Local Film Tech Union; Dan Mayfield, Arts and Entertainment Reporter.