ABC News focuses cameras on LDS Church

In  two high-profile segments, one on ABC's World News Tonight and the

other on ABC's Nightline Friday,  reporter Dan Harris spent nine

minutes telling about the LDS Church,  including reports on the new

Draper Temple and interviews with Elder M. Russell Ballard and Elder

Quentin L. Cook.

In a 30-second piece on ABC World News Tonight Harris focused briefly on temples, baptism for  the dead, families and

Proposition 8. The eight minute and 30 second \"Faith Matters\" piece on Nightline (video here) and (a longer text version here) begins with this:

 \"Ever since the first Mormon temple was built more than 150 years ago, they have been the subject of speculation and suspicion. The temples are imposing structures where private and sacred rituals are performed, and where outsiders are almost never welcomed.\"

Harris asks Elder Ballard why the media was invited to Salt Lake City and an open house for the new Draper Temple:

\"We want to be understood, not misunderstood,\" Elder Ballard, \"and people are defining us in the wrong way. They're defining us without having the facts.\"

Harris' narrative overviewed  recent high-profiles stories about the church including  Mitt Romney's presidential bid, support of Proposition 8, and confusion with polygamists. Then, Harris talks about the temple, including the Celestial Room and baptistry.  Harris then points out the church's conflict with Jews over posthumous baptism of Holocaust victims.

When talking about the church history of persecution, Harris confronted  Elders Ballard and Cook about why the church appears to be discriminating against gays and lesbians.

\"We were for marriage between a man and a woman because that is the issue that will protect the future of this country and this civilization,\"  Elder Cook told Harris. \"It's for the protection of the 5,000-year history of marriage being between a man and a woman.\"

For the most part, the story was balanced and fair and able to demystify some aspects of temple worship.  Viewers were able to better understand the role of apostles, temples and families. There was also unprecedented video of a sacrament meeting service. The length of coverage represents an eternity in broadcast news where most stories run 30 seconds.

Ironically,  while ABC reported about the church attempting to clear up misunderstanding, the report still muddied facts for viewers and may perpetuate stereotypes.

For example, the story continued to frame Mormons with words like \"secrecy,\" \"suspicion,\" \"mystery,\" and a headline \"Mormon temple revealed.\"  Journalists just can't seem to let this