KUTV 2News and reporter Brian Mullahy chose to headline a recent child-custody story, “Eight children removed from home of purported polygamous couple,” even though the report identifies no connection between the parents’ family structure and the state’s action.

In fact, KUTV acknowledges that the state has not disclosed why the children were removed and that no reasons were presented during the reported court hearing. Nevertheless, Mullahy placed the stigmatizing label “polygamous” at the center of its headline and repeatedly emphasized the family’s religious associations.

Consenting adults in plural families have long been treated as socially acceptable targets for suspicion and ridicule. Using that identity to generate attention, without establishing its relevance to the case, encourages their audience to adopt bigoted stereotypes falsely associating plural marriage with parental wrongdoing.

Shame on KUTV 2News and Brian Mullahy for using a false bias to sensationalize an already sensitive matter.

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