This week, New Mexico in Focus celebrates Independence Day with its annual "State of Local Media" special. But first, NMIF provides an update on a bombshell news story that broke late last month, detailing whistleblower allegations that the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) permitted hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills into Albuquerque in pursuit of bigger cases. This week, top city, county and state officials, including Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, called for accountability.

NMiF begins its media special with a two-part conversation with Bill Church about the two publications he oversees: the Santa Fe New Mexican and Searchlight New Mexico.

First, Executive Producer Jeff Proctor asks Church how the New Mexican is expanding, at a time when newspapers are supposed to be dying.

Then, Church is joined at the table with Searchlight editor Ed Williams as the two talk to Jeff about the future of the newly acquired investigative news site.

Publisher Lindsey Wood is in the business of neighborhood news. She owns and operates the Nob Hill News, the North Valley News and the International District News. Wood tells Host Nosh Jones why her hyperlocal news model could be replicated nationwide.

Southern New Mexico reporter Damien Willis is a one-man news organization. As the founder, editor and lone staff writer at the Organ Mountain News, Willis talks to Nash about the Doña Ana County news site, and the work he's done to both listen to and inform his readers.

NMiF airs on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME HD) on Friday, July 3, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 5 at 7 a.m. and streaming on the PBS video app. Involved, informed, in-depth media: watch New Mexico in Focus again online shortly thereafter.

Host
Nash Jones

NMiF Segments
DEA Fentanyl "Walking" Sparks Outrage
Correspondent
Nash Jones

Santa Fe New Mexican Flourishes in Dire Time for Print News
Correspondent
Jeff Proctor

Guest
Bill Church, executive editor, Santa Fe New Mexican

Nob Hill News and Neighborhood Journalism
Correspondent
Nash Jones

Guest
Lindsay Wood, publisher, Nob Hill News

Searchlight New Mexico's Second Life
Correspondent
Jeff Proctor

Guests
Bill Church, executive director, Searchlight New Mexico
Ed Williams, investigations editor, Searchlight New Mexico

Organ Mountain News and Journalism in Southern NM
Correspondent
Nash Jones

Guest
Damien Willis, founder and editor, Organ Mountain News

New Mexico in Focus is the New Mexico PBS prime-time news magazine show covering the events, issues, and people shaping life in New Mexico and the Southwest. NMiF takes a multi-layered look at social, political, economic, educational, and art issues, exploring them in depth with a critical eye to provide context beyond the "news of the moment."

NMPBS Executive Producer, Public Affairs is Jeff Proctor. New Mexico in Focus's senior producer for public affairs is Lou DiVizio. Host and producer of New Mexico in Focus is Nash Jones. The producer is Antonio Sanchez, and the multimedia journalist is Cailley Chella.

Funding for New Mexico in Focus is provided by the McCune Charitable Foundation and Viewers Like You. Funding for the Your New Mexico Government Project comes from the Thornburg Foundation and New Mexico Local News Fund. Funding for Our Land: New Mexico's Environmental Past, Present & Future is provided in part by the Neeper Natural History Programming.