OPINION: Q&A with Journal Community Council member Rodger Beimer

Editor’s note: This is the third in a series introducing readers to our new Community Council members. These are excerpts from a longer podcast interview. Rodger Beimer is a former broadcast reporter who has statewide marketing experience for community and industrial projects.

Q: Rodger, you have had an extensive career in media. How has journalism changed over the years?

A: Journalism today is completely different from when I started. The speed of news has increased dramatically, and there is a greater emphasis on opinion rather than objective reporting. Reporters don’t always have the same in-depth connections with the people they cover, which I think impacts the quality of news.

Q: You’ve worked in TV and radio. How does print media compare?

A: I never worked in print before joining the Community Council, so this is new for me. But these days, print is more than just the newspaper — it’s digital, immediate, and interactive. It’s evolving rapidly to meet people’s need for fast information.

Q: What do you think about how news is consumed today?

A: People want shorter content. Look at the rise of USA Today, which was once criticized for having short stories but ended up setting the standard. Now, with mobile devices, people skim headlines, follow links, and consume news in snippets rather than reading full articles.

Q: You’ve been involved in key moments in New Mexico history. Can you tell us about covering the 1980 prison riot?

A: That was a major event. I was in Santa Fe covering the Legislature when I got a 5:30 a.m. call saying the prison was in chaos. Smoke was coming from the building, and the National Guard was arriving. I spent the day reporting live from the scene, using an early version of a mobile phone — a briefcase-sized device — to communicate with the newsroom. One funny memory? We got complaints because we interrupted Saturday morning cartoons to cover the riot.

Q: You and Gov. David Cargo played a role in bringing the film industry to New Mexico. How did that happen?

A: In the late 1960s, writer Max Evans convinced Gov. Cargo that New Mexico had potential as a filming location. We traveled to Hollywood to meet with industry leaders like Sam Peckinpah, planting a seed that eventually made the state a major hub for filmmaking. It took time, but look at where we are now.

Q: You were also involved in bringing Intel to Rio Rancho. How did that come about?

A: In the early 1980s, Gov. Bruce King met with Intel executives during a trip to California. He was familiar with the Rio Rancho area and saw an opportunity. Thanks to that initiative, Intel established a major facility here, which has been vital to our economy.

Q: You helped establish the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science. What was that process like?

A: I was part of the original museum foundation. Sen. Aubrey Dunn and others pushed the initiative forward, and I helped with fundraising. We also designated the state’s official dinosaur, Coelophysis. It’s rewarding to see how the museum has grown and serves as an educational resource.

Q: There’s ongoing debate about moving the State Fairgrounds. What’s your take?

A: This discussion comes up every few years. A study in the 1970s found that moving the fair was too expensive, and that still may be the case today. Relocation sounds appealing, but the costs and logistics make it a complicated issue.