With The Salt Lake Tribune’s shift to nonprofit status last year, we have been honored to serve as the publication’s first board of directors. The eyes of the nation are upon The Tribune as we embark on this new financial and operational model for local journalism, and we believe The Tribune is uniquely qualified to succeed as we navigate this new path.
Our commitment to The Tribune, its staff and readership is to continued excellent news coverage, analysis and opinion. The Tribune must maintain its prominent place in Utah and Salt Lake City history as a respected watchdog on government and other powerful institutions. The Tribune must keep a sharp eye, always, on politics, culture, religion, issues of race and social justice, sports, lifestyle and more.
As community-based board members, we have met monthly since January 2020, established bylaws, carefully reviewed ongoing fundraising plans and a philanthropic mission, and are working diligently to carve a path for The Tribune that ensures this community treasure not only survives but also thrives — as a powerful voice of journalism for many decades to come.
Tribune journalism will always engage our readers, carry impact in our community, and be fair and thorough in its coverage. As board members, we underscore the fundamental tenet of editorial freedom for The Tribune’s staff, free of bias and undue influence in news coverage.
We have a legal fiduciary responsibility to oversee how tax-exempt, public monies are used and that The Tribune’s journalistic mission and performance remain true to its legacy. In the near future, we will undertake a thorough and robust search for a new editor-in-chief. Meanwhile, we offer our full support to interim Editor David Noyce and to The Tribune newsroom.
We thank our many readers and a growing number of donors in our new nonprofit venture. We need you. Many legacy news publications and experts in communication are watching our progress. These are changing, challenging and yet exciting times. Please join us as we move forward.
Clint Betts; Luzmaria “Lucy” Cardenas; Randy Dryer; Paul Huntsman, chair; Holly Mullen; Ashish Patel; James “Jay” Shelledy; Angie Welling; Spencer Zwick.