Commentary

Tom Green, Polygamist coverage

Misstatement:
In a 28 August report entitled "Polygamist Jailed for Child Rape," the BBC referred to polygamist Tom Green as a member of the "Mormon Church." The report stated, "The Mormon Church, to which Green belongs, renounced polygamy in the 1890s, when Utah became a state."

Other erroneous reports, referring to Tom Green as a "Mormon," appeared in several Australian newspapers —; the Australian, the Daily Telegraph (Sydney), the Courier Mail (Brisbane) and the Advertiser (Adelaide).

Fact:
Green is not a member of the "Mormon Church," properly called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was excommunicated in the 1980s for the practice of polygamy. It is true that the Church discontinued polygamy more than 100 years ago

 

 

Other related corrections and clarifications:

 

“Mormon fundamentalists” and Polygamy, Various media outlets, 6 February 2004

Mormon Tom Green, Court TV, 3 June 2002

30,000 Mormon Polygamists, USA Today, 12 February 2002

Fundamentalist Mormons, The Toronto Star, 6 February 2002

Style Guide Note:When reporting about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please use the complete name of the Church in the first reference. For more information on the use of the name of the Church, go to our online Style Guide.