LDS Church Launches Media Outreach

None by KCPW

Officials to Meet with Major Newspaper Editorial Boards

(KCPW News) High-ranking leaders of the LDS Church will soon begin meeting with the editorial boards of major newspapers in the country, hoping to clear up misperceptions about Mormons. Church spokesman Michael Otterson says it's a response to heightened interest in Mormons as Mitt Romney runs for President:

"There is a national conversation going on about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and we're very anxious to have this kind of engagement with people who write about the major issues of society today," says Otterson. "And we think that sitting down with editorial boards where the conversation can be informal and free-flowing but on-the-record is a good way to do that."

Otterson says Romney's candidacy has boosted interest in the LDS church at levels similar to those seen during the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. And Otterson says the LDS Church is being frequently misrepresented in the media. However, he says the Church's new outreach to political reporters and editorial boards is not an explicit endorsement of Romney:

"We don't talk about Governor Romney or Senator Harry Reid who is also a Latter-day Saint when we go on these kinds of visits," says Otterson. "What we say is 'If your interest has been raised in the church, then at that point we'd like to be part of the conversation.' But we don't talk about the politics."

The LDS Church is strictly neutral on political candidates and campaigns, adds Otterson. He hosted the Church's first-ever online press conference for national religion reporters this week.

The LDS Church plans to hold frequent online press conferences and has begun posting question and answer sessions with LDS officials on its website at www.lds.org.

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