This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A couple of weeks ago I sent a letter to the editor of the Deseret News criticizing their decision to publish an op-ed piece from San Juan County Commissioner Phil Lyman, in which Lyman invited the public to join him on his May 9 "excursion" into Recapture Canyon.
When I pointed out that the Deseret News was condoning illegal activity, the editor's response was disingenuous: Because Lyman hadn't mentioned in his op-ed that his "excursion" consisted of illegally riding ATVs through an off-limits archeological area, the News had done nothing wrong.
Since it laid off most of its reporting staff, the Deseret News is no longer a serious newspaper. It now largely consists of LDS Church related articles and Republican propaganda, which apparently condones lawbreaking if it's construed as a protest against the big, bad federal government.
If the Tribune becomes extinct due to the grossly unfair profit-sharing agreement, Salt Lake City will be left without a legitimate newspaper.
Blair Bateman
Provo