Stop the Press: How the Mormon Church Tried to Silence the Salt Lake Tribune

by James W. Ure

This disturbing expose examines how the powerful Mormon Church tried to destroy the Salt Lake Tribune, a voice that had long been critical of many of its activities and its secrets. The author, a Mormon and a journalist who once worked for the Tribune, tells a story of secret deals, behind-the-scenes backstabbing, and manipulation of the political and legal systems by a church that controls the politics of Utah. Based on many interviews and extensive research, the book describes the history of enmity between the Church and the newspaper, which came to a head in 2000. In that year, the Tribune reopened an investigation into an 1857 murder of a wagon train of 120 men, women, and children passing through Utah. The Mountain Meadow Massacre had been conducted by highly-placed church members and historians have said it was condoned by Brigham Young, the leader of the Mormon Church. The published stories intensified efforts by the Church to kill the newspaper. When a hedge fund took ownership of the Tribune, the Church in 2013 saw an opportunity to take advantage and ensure the paper's demise. Just as the paper appeared to be going under, a small group of citizens became the David that took down the Mormon Goliath and delivered the Pulitzer Prize-winning paper to a steady local owner who is willing to fight for its long-term survival.This is a cautionary tale about the dangers of mingling church and state and the ways in which big money can threaten the freedom of the press.

Genres: Religion, History, Mormonism

311 pages, Paperback

Published January 9, 2018

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I've spent most of my life in Utah, and I worked as a journalist a good chunk of those years. I even worked the copy desk at The Salt Lake Tribune for a brief time during the Dean Singleton/MediaNews Group regime. I'm fascinated (and sometimes scared) by the friction that often occurs between the press and institutions of power, whether it be a government, a church, or other entity. In Utah's case, the friction between The Salt Lake Tribune and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints predates my lifetime and will extend beyond it (assuming The Trib survives).

I believe this book did a decent job of setting the scene for the tumult surrounding The Tribune sale(s). I enjoyed reading about nearer-term events leading up to the purchase of The Trib by the Huntsman family more than the historical dramas that played out in the early parts of the 20th century, but that's just me, and I'm sure others will find much of that drama extremely interesting.

In the end, the importance of a free and independent press can't be overstated. Utahns are fortunate to have an independent voice such as The Salt Lake Tribune and I hope it will continue to shine a light for years to come.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read two of Ure's other books and found this one to be the most enlightening. It also felt rushed at times, as if Ure were afraid that the LDS Church could stop his book from going to press as well. As a local, I now understand much more the dynamics in play with the Tribune-News feud and how it continues today in a different path. The real head scratcher is what Henry Eyring has against the Huntsman family. Maybe their Gulfstream jet didn't get him to a Church assignment on time?

[Veronica Grande · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome investigation that connected the history of this religion to controversies in the modern world.

[Paul · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't tell you whether the present-day investigatory journalism is any good because when I saw the historical information cited Wikipedia as one of the main sources, I checked out.