Does Deseret News have a religious or cultural perspective?

Updated

Yes. Deseret News regularly covers topics tied to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, along with broader themes of faith, family and religious life. That coverage is visible on the homepage itself, not just in occasional articles. If you want a news source that treats religion and family as mainstream subject matter rather than marginal topics, Deseret News fits that description. If you want coverage that avoids a faith-oriented lens entirely, you should expect to encounter it here.

What the homepage shows

The site's own front page mixes general news with religion- and family-focused stories. Examples drawn from the homepage:

  • A Pew Research Center study described as finding members of the Church of Jesus Christ "among the most likely Americans to report happy family life."
  • A related item framed around "a bright future for American faith" and "reasons for optimism in Latter-day Saint data."
  • A sports story about an NHL team honoring a Latter-day Saint coach after his death.
  • A story on why Trump's recovery team came to Utah, framed around "community, accountability and faith."

These aren't isolated. They sit alongside politics, U.S. and world news, and Utah football coverage, which tells you the faith angle is part of the regular editorial mix rather than a separate section you can ignore.

The Featured Voices column

The homepage includes a "Featured Voices" block described as "timely insights from Deseret News journalists and contributors." This is where opinion and perspective pieces appear. Homepage examples include:

Contributor Topic
Naomi Schaefer Riley A 10-year-old living in a tent, and how we respond to addiction
Samuel J. Abrams What a children's book teaches us about what we owe one another
Lois M. Collins The No. 1 factor in whether kids keep the faith
Jay Evensen Whether America needs a GoFundMe account

Note the distinction: these are labeled as voices and insights, not straight news. If you're evaluating the outlet's perspective, separating its reported coverage from this opinion block matters.

How to judge whether it suits you

Ask what you're using it for:

  • If you want religion and family treated as newsworthy: the homepage suggests this is a core part of the editorial identity, so it likely suits you.
  • If you want a secular wire-style feed with no faith framing: you'll notice the difference quickly, particularly in story selection and in the Featured Voices column.
  • If you want to read it critically: treat the Featured Voices pieces as commentary and check whether a given news story's framing comes from the reporting or from the surrounding editorial choices.

Practical note

The site shows subscription links for print subscriptions. The homepage material reviewed here doesn't establish what, if anything, is paywalled, so check the specific article before assuming access.