Outlet profile

Deseret News

U.S. center-right

Owned byDeseret News Publishing Company, a subsidiary of Deseret Management Corporation, the for-profit media/business holding company of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

FundingSubscriptions, digital and print advertising, and backing from Deseret Management Corporation (church-affiliated holding company); not directly funded by church tithing

On the administrationmixed

Background

Founded June 15, 1850, in Salt Lake City by Brigham Young, the Deseret News is Utah's oldest continuously operating business and the first newspaper published in the Utah Territory; it originally served as the LDS Church's official newspaper, covering church news and doctrine. Over the 20th century it grew into a mainstream Utah daily competing with the Salt Lake Tribune, while remaining under church-affiliated ownership. In 2010 it restructured, cutting staff and shifting toward a national digital strategy with Deseret Digital Media, and its Sunday print edition was later discontinued as it moved toward web-first and magazine formats. It is currently owned by Deseret Management Corporation, the church's business arm, alongside KSL Television & Radio and Deseret Book. Editorially, it emphasizes faith, family, education, and Western/Utah political news, and it publishes both hard news and opinion sections; media-bias monitors such as Media Bias/Fact Check rate it right-of-center with high factual reporting, while AllSides has rated it closer to center. The outlet has pushed back publicly against being labeled either strongly conservative or partisan, arguing its churchowned status does not equate to a political agenda.

Sources

Profile compiled 2026-09-26; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

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