The Forum with Jim Falk

Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Karen Elliott House joins Jim Falk to explore Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitions, reforms, and the risks shaping Saudi Arabia’s future. This week on The Forum Plus, journalist and Pulitzer Prize winning author Karen Elliott House joins host Jim Falk to discuss her new book, The Man Who Would Be King, an intimate portrait of Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Sa...

This week on The Forum, we welcomed two leaders at the forefront of promoting “the City Different” to visitors and filmmakers. Their efforts have earned Santa Fe remarkable recognition: this year, Travel + Leisure ranked the city as the top destination in the U.S. (and 19th worldwide), while MovieMaker once again named Santa Fe the best place to live and work as a moviemaker—for the third year in...

This week on The Forum , political analysts Dr. John Lawrence of the University of California’s Washington Center and Dr. Cal Jillson of Southern Methodist University examined how Texas and California have moved to gerrymander congressional districts outside of the regular U.S. decennial census. In a pre-recorded interview, New Mexico Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth offered his perspective on t...

Historian and author John Lawrence joins The Forum Plus to discuss his new Sherlock Holmes pastiche, The Case of the Revolutionary’s Daughter, exploring the mysterious death of Karl Marx’s youngest daughter and the enduring appeal of Holmes _______________ In this episode of The Forum Plus, KSFR’s occasional spotlight on fascinating people, great books, timely issues, and noteworthy events, we wel...

Meet the leaders bringing a different approach to homelessness in Santa Fe This week on The Forum, we heard from two leaders of Urban Alchemy about their first six weeks managing Pete’s Place, renamed Agape House, Santa Fe’s homeless shelter on Cerrillos Road. Earlier this summer, the City awarded the California-based nonprofit a one-year, $1.5 million emergency contract, a decision that stirred d...

This week on The Forum, former 7-Eleven and Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes joins co-host Peter Smith and host Jim Falk to explore how education can unlock opportunity for every American. Keyes shares insights from his new book Education is Freedom and his MEGA initiative—Make Education Great Again—which aims to harness technology to strengthen learning and reverse declines in U.S. student performance....

The Forum Plus, KSFR’s occasional spotlight on fascinating people, Great Books, timely issues, and noteworthy events. A Conversation with Paul Andrew Hutton, Professor Emeritus of History, University of New Mexico and author Of The Undiscovered Country: Triumph, Tragedy and the Shaping of the American West Paul Andrew Hutton’s The Undiscovered Country is the product of a lifetime of scholarship. T...

In celebration of Labor Day, The Forum features acclaimed blues artist and composer Zac Harmon in conversation with hosts Jim Falk and Talitha Arnold. Together they explore how songs of work and struggle not only offered comfort to workers but also became rallying cries that fueled union movements. Before each performance, Harmon and Arnold provide the historical context behind the songs, enrichin...

Beginning her first year as superintendent of Santa Fe Public Schools, Dr. Christine Griffin brings energy, enthusiasm, and a clear vision for raising standards across the district’s 30 schools serving 11,000 students. She shares the steps underway to continue improving student performance while also calling attention to the need for more affordable housing to recruit and retain staff. Dr. Griffin...

A growing crisis in Santa Fe is the lack of affordable housing . In response, ten local organizations have come together to form the Housing for Santa Fe Coalition. The August 4th episode of The Forum explored the Coalition’s newly released policy platform— PIP: Protect, Invest, and Permit —a bold plan aimed at addressing the city's housing challenges. This conversation is the second in a two-part...

In The Forum Plus, UMass historian Stephen R. Platt shares the untold story of Evans Carlson — a WWII Marine commander, secret confidant of FDR, and pioneer of U.S. special forces. Drawing on exclusive access to Carlson’s family letters, journals, and military archives, Platt reveals a hero celebrated for introducing “gung-ho” to America but later vilified during the McCarthy era for his admiratio...

As football season kicks off, the thrill of the game is increasingly tied to the lure of sports betting. But for many—especially young men—that wager comes with a hidden price: addiction, debt, and damaged lives. In this Forum, leaders from Stop Predatory Gambling and an SMU business professor reveal the true cost of legalized sports betting. Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling, 38 states a...

A growing crisis in Santa Fe is the lack of affordable housing. In response, ten local organizations have come together to form the Housing for Santa Fe Coalition. Last week's episode of The Forum explored the Coalition’s newly released policy platform—PIP: Protect, Invest, and Permit—a bold plan aimed at addressing the city's housing challenges. This conversation is the first in a two-part series...

Maestro Harry Bicket, Music Director of The Santa Fe Opera, shares the winding journey that took him from Liverpool, England to one of the most prestigious podiums in American opera. Joining the conversation is Ian Derrer, General Director of The Dallas Opera, who began his professional operatic career in Santa Fe as a production assistant. Together, they reflect on the unique challenges and oppor...

New Mexico now ranks first in the nation for the percentage of hospitals owned by private equity firms . Supporters argue these investments can improve efficiency and fund upgrades to equipment and facilities. But critics warn they can also lead to staff cuts, closures, and reduced access to care. In this episode, New Mexico House Majority Leader Reena Szczepanski discusses why she sponsored House...

We speak with Lois Lipman, director of the documentary First We Bombed New Mexico, and Tina Cordova, the film’s heart and co-founder of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium. Together, they discuss the film’s impact and their decades-long advocacy for those harmed by nuclear testing and uranium mining. A hopeful development: the recently signed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” enacted on July 4, 2025...

Following President Trump’s July 4 signing of the “Big Beautiful Bill,” The Forum brought together three leading voices to examine what the sweeping federal legislation could mean for New Mexico’s communities, economy, schools and hospitals. Charles Sallee, Director of the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC), joined the program in an interview recorded just after he briefed lawmakers on the bill’s...

In this episode of The Forum, we explore two important stories with a Santa Fe focus: Santa Fe Forward, a bold effort to update the City’s General Plan, something that has not happened since 1999. Then, Greg Heltman, conductor of the Santa Fe Concert Band, previews the annual July 4th concert in the Plaza. First, we look at Santa Fe Forward—a bold new plan unveiled by the City of Santa Fe to guide...

Eliza Reid, Iceland’s former First Lady, joins me to discuss her debut novel — Death on the Island — a gripping murder mystery set against the dramatic backdrop of Iceland’s Westman Islands. Drawing from her own diplomatic experience, Eliza has created a compelling ensemble of characters, each with secrets to uncover as they find themselves isolated on the windswept archipelago. Following in the t...

In this episode of The Forum, we examined two major stories dominating the headlines: the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, and the sweeping legislative package known as the “Big, Beautiful Bill.”. Recorded on June 19—just days before the U.S. bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites on June 22—the program featured insights from Dr. Paul Salem, Beirut-based Senior Fellow at the Middle Eas...

I’m Jim Falk, host of The Forum Plus — an occasional spotlight on compelling people, timely issues, and noteworthy events. In a recent episode, I spoke with Frank Lavin, who served alongside President Ronald Reagan throughout all eight years of his presidency — in roles ranging from the Office of Presidential Personnel to the National Security Council. His new book, Inside the Reagan White House,...

While antisemitic incidents have surged since the brutal Hamas attacks of October 7, Jews and Jewish communities have faced bigotry and violence for centuries. In this episode of The Forum, we hear from two leading voices—Joel Schwitzer, the Dallas-based regional director of the American Jewish Committee, and Rabbi Jack Schacter—in separate recorded interviews. Together, they explore the historica...

On June 3, 2025, Mexico’s Ambassador to the United States, Esteban Moctezuma Barragán, joined Jim Falk for an insightful conversation on U.S.–Mexico relations. The interview took place during the World Affairs Councils of America’s Annual Leadership Conference, hosted this year by Global Santa Fe, where Ambassador Moctezuma was the keynote speaker. The ambassador voiced his government’s serious co...

As President Trump enters the fifth month of his second term, his administration is grappling with a host of complex global challenges—from the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, to the crisis in Gaza and Israel, and the shifting contours of U.S. tariff policy. On June 3, 2025, KSFR and Global Santa Fe co-hosted a public Town Hall featuring James M. Lindsay, Distinguished Senior Fellow at the...

The vision of American volunteers serving abroad remains one of President John F. Kennedy’s most enduring and admired legacies. Since its founding in 1961, more than 240,000 Americans have served in over 144 countries through the Peace Corps, fostering cross-cultural understanding and development. As the federal government continues to explore ways to reduce spending, the Peace Corps faces the pos...