Is it because all of the major carriers are concerned about the souls of the readers? No, I am sure that the news media has absolutely no eternal interest in the people who read and listen to what they have to say. More likely it is driven by a political agenda that seeks to discredit The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or its members. On that note let's look at the facts. Although it was not widely talked about, the polygamist nature of Joseph Smith's marital status was never denied, and never really hidden. The fact that one of his wives was 14 years old was also a major thing. Readers were leaving comments about him being a pervert. In the nineteenth century getting married that early in life was not unheard of, in fact it was somewhat common. So I reject all of the pedophile remarks. My own mother was 16 when she was married, but I would beat the person who referred to my dad as a pedophile. Just because our current laws prohibit things such as this, it is not right to judge people 170 years ago by the norms of today. The fact that polygamy was not illegal then, and it was incorporated into the practices of the LDS church for a time, a fact that has never been denied by the mainstream LDS church. It was made illegal after the fact to give the political powers teeth in controlling or destroying the church in the United States.
The Church decided to leave the United States, as a body, so that they could practice as their conscience dictated. About the time they decided to make Utah a state, the issue popped up again with a vengeance until the practice was abandoned by decree of the First Presidency of the LDS church. I reject that as a means of judgment against the church. I find it interesting that even though he was polygamous, and he was, that there is absolutely no evidence (DNA) that Joseph Smith had any progeny from any of his wives except Emma Smith, his first wife. I find it amusing that those who are ignorant of reasons that polygamy was practiced are so quick to judge. I believe that the mainstream media used this "news" as a political bullet to bring down the LDS church a notch or two. Could it be that it is due to Mitt Romney being a Mormon (a term that I do not care to be known as)? Could it be punishment because the LDS church has stood up for issues, and has funded them when they go against the teaching and practices of their doctrines and policies? Issues that other Christian churches agree on but are reluctant to ally themselves with the "Mormons". It makes me wonder if prejudice is politically accepted in the news media if it forwards the agenda of certain parties. They preach, teach, expound, and exhort; tolerance and diversity to the point that if you have a different opinion that you; hate people, are a bigot, and are the problem with America. Unless it suits their purposes.
The vilification of Joseph Smith is nothing new, but it is not going to change the direction of the church. The pointing of fingers and snickering from the great and spacious building in NYC (musical) is not going to push the LDS people down, or make them quit. Joseph was counseled to endure to the end despite persecution and pain, and he did, until there were bullets. Since then he has been both revered and vilified, yet the LDS endure and continue. Joseph was warned that this would happen on September 21, 1823. "...God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people" (JST 1:33).
