Mormonism in the News Getting It Right Mormonism in the News - Getting It Right. null

“Mormonism in the News: Getting It Right” presents several recent news articles, blog posts or videos that provide accurate and fair reporting on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as those that misrepresent the faith to readers.

Church Responds to Coverage of BYU Sexual Assault Issue

For several weeks, the Salt Lake Tribune has aggressively reported on the incidence of alleged sexual assaults at Brigham Young University. In one report on May 6, 2016, the newspaper not only implied that a “rape culture” exists at BYU but that the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints materially contributed to that culture. Despite making such extraordinary claims, Tribune reporters did not approach the Church for comment. Following its publication, a Public Affairs representative from the Church contacted the newspaper and asked why the Church had not been given an opportunity to comment on such a major story. One of the two writers acknowledged the “lapse in judgment,” and said she felt that the inclusion of a reference to the Church’s leadership handbook was sufficient. Note to Tribune editors: it wasn’t.

On Thursday of this week (May 19), after becoming aware that the Tribune was soon going to publish a further report with interviews of BYU students who had been assaulted, a Church spokesman again contacted Tribune editors and received a commitment that the Church would be given ample opportunity to participate in future stories that involved the Church. Less than two hours later, the newspaper published the story, again without giving the Church an opportunity to respond.

This is analogous to what is known in the trade as “gotcha journalism” — a practice unworthy of any serious newspaper seeking for balance in its reporting.

Today, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued the following statement: