{{Short description|Digital asset holding company}} {{Use American English|date=April 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox company | name = Deseret Digital Media, Inc. | logo = Deseret Digital Media logo.svg | logo_size = 200px | type = [[Privately held company|Private]] | founded = [[Salt Lake City]], [[Utah]], [[United States]]<br />({{Start date|2009|09|24}}) | hq_location_city = [[Salt Lake City]], [[Utah]] | hq_location_country = [[United States]] | area_served = [[Utah]] | key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Nate Hatch (President, 2021–present)}} | industry = [[New media]] | brands = KSL.com, Utah.com | services = | num_employees = 150+ | parent = [[Deseret Management Corporation]] | website = {{Official URL}} }}
'''Deseret Digital Media, Inc.''' ('''DDM''') is a subsidiary company of [[Deseret Management Corporation]] (DMC), an American [[holding company]] owned by [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] (LDS Church). DDM owns digital assets, primarily focused on the Utah news and classifieds site [https://www.ksl.com KSL.com] and tourism site [https://www.utah.com Utah.com].
The company's first CEO, [[Clark Gilbert]],<ref>[http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2012768534_apusdeseretnewslayoffs.html Business & Technology | Deseret News in UT cutting newsroom by nearly half | Seattle Times Newspaper<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> served from DDM's founding in 2009 until 2015 when he was named president of [[BYU-Idaho]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Clark Gilbert named new president of BYU-Idaho|url = http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865620500/New-BYU-Idaho-president-Clark-Gilbert-to-replace-Kim-B-Clark.html?pg=all|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150129053635/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865620500/New-BYU-Idaho-president-Clark-Gilbert-to-replace-Kim-B-Clark.html?pg=all|url-status = dead|archive-date = January 29, 2015|website = DeseretNews.com|access-date = 2015-10-28}}</ref> Gilbert later became an LDS Church [[general authority]] and as of 2024 continues to serve as the commissioner of the [[Church Educational System]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-18 |title=New commissioner of church education to deliver first BYU devotional on Tuesday |url=https://www.deseret.com/faith/2022/2/7/22918337/new-commissioner-of-church-education-to-deliver-first-byu-devotional-on-tuesday/ |access-date=2024-04-02 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref> Greg Peterson was DDM's president from 2016 to 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Deseret Digital Media|url=https://www.deseretdigital.com/about-us|access-date=2021-04-29|website=Deseret Digital|language=en}}</ref> As of 2024, the president is Nate Hatch, a former Assistant Vice President of Technology at [[Brigham Young University]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Deseret Management Corporation |url=https://www.deseretmanagement.com/dmc-presidents/nate-hatch |access-date=2024-04-02 |website=www.deseretmanagement.com}}</ref>
[[File:Triad center slc utah.jpg|200px|thumb|The Triad Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, headquarters for Deseret Media]] DDM was formed in 2009 to run the website operations of DMC. Since then, [[Deseret News]] has resumed operations of its website and DDM operates KSL.com aside from [[Bonneville International]]'s digital assets.
== KSL.com classifieds == '''KSL Classifieds''' is a [[Classified advertising|classified advertisements]] website covering northern and southern [[Utah]] and nearby parts of [[Idaho]] and [[Wyoming]]. It is one of the largest classifieds sites in the U.S.<ref name="buzzfeed">{{cite news |last1=Coppins |first1=McKay |date=19 Dec 2012 |title=Mormon Church-Owned Website Suspends Gun Sales |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/mormon-owned-website-suspends-gun-sales |accessdate=18 April 2017 |work=BuzzFeed}}</ref> and the only one to draw more users than [[Craigslist]] within its local market.<ref name="atlantic">{{cite news |last1=Zhang |first1=Sarah |date=11 April 2017 |title=How a Mormon Church-Owned Site Defeated Craigslist in Utah |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/04/ksl-craigslist-classifieds/521916/ |accessdate=13 April 2017 |work=The Atlantic}}</ref><ref name="sltrib2011">{{cite news |last=Warchol |first=Glen |date=27 May 2011 |title=Questions arise about KSL's booming online gun market |url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/51848774-78/gun-ksl-com-firearms.html.csp |accessdate=13 April 2017 |newspaper=[[Salt Lake Tribune]]}}</ref>
=== History === KSL Classifieds was launched in 2000 by broadcaster [[KSL TV]] and [[KSL (radio)|KSL Newsradio]], despite the misgivings of KSL executives who resisted the idea of making ads free for individual users, and despite the fact it would be competing with paid classifieds in the Deseret News, which is also owned by DMC.<ref name="atlantic2">{{cite news |last1=Zhang |first1=Sarah |date=11 April 2017 |title=How a Mormon Church-Owned Site Defeated Craigslist in Utah |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/04/ksl-craigslist-classifieds/521916/ |accessdate=13 April 2017 |work=The Atlantic}}</ref><ref name="broadcasting">{{cite news |last=Malone |first=Michael |date=27 July 2008 |title=New faces among SLC residents, stations |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/114744-Great_Salt_Lake.php |accessdate=14 April 2017 |newspaper=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]}}</ref> It claims to be the first broadcast site to offer free classified ads, and one of the first to stream content from television and radio.<ref name="deseretdigital">{{cite web |title=Deseret Digital Media | Our Network | KSL.com |url=http://deseretdigital.com/content/view/8/ksl-com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625080723/http://deseretdigital.com/content/view/8/ksl-com |archive-date=2014-06-25 |access-date=2017-04-13}}</ref> As its launch predated Craigslist's expansion into Utah by four years,<ref>{{cite web |title=New craigslist sites added since 1995 |url=https://www.craigslist.org/about/expansion |accessdate=18 April 2017 |website=craigslist}}</ref> it was able to use the [[network effect]] to build its online presence during that time.<ref>{{cite web |title=local classifieds |url=https://www.used.forsale}}</ref>
=== Controversies === Gun control activists raised concerns in 2011 that KSL Classifieds did a disservice to its community by providing a marketplace for sellers who were not [[Federal Firearms License|licensed dealers]], since these sellers do not need to perform background checks on buyers.<ref name="sltrib20112">{{cite news |last=Warchol |first=Glen |date=27 May 2011 |title=Questions arise about KSL's booming online gun market |url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/51848774-78/gun-ksl-com-firearms.html.csp |accessdate=13 April 2017 |newspaper=[[Salt Lake Tribune]]}}</ref> A 2011 report from the office of [[New York City]] mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]] found that KSL Classifieds had more gun listings than any other general-purpose online marketplace, exceeded only by online marketplaces that specialize in guns.<ref name="nyc">{{cite web |title=Point, Click, Fire: an investigation of illegal online gun sales |url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/cjc/downloads/pdf/nyc_pointclickfire.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704225415/http://www.nyc.gov/html/cjc/downloads/pdf/nyc_pointclickfire.pdf |archive-date=2015-07-04 |accessdate=2017-04-14 |publisher=[[The City of New York]]}}</ref> KSL Classifieds discontinued gun listings in the wake of the [[Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting]].<ref name="buzzfeed2">{{cite news |last1=Coppins |first1=McKay |date=19 Dec 2012 |title=Mormon Church-Owned Website Suspends Gun Sales |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/mormon-owned-website-suspends-gun-sales |accessdate=18 April 2017 |work=BuzzFeed}}</ref>
In 2023, KSL Classifieds announced changes to their Dogs and Cats classifieds listings to reduce fraud, irresponsible [[Dog breeding|breeders]] and pet sellers, and better educate users via partnerships with local Humane Societies.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nov. 15 |first=KSL Classifieds {{!}} Posted- |last2=P.m |first2=2022 at 8:28 |title=Why KSL Classifieds is working to fight fraud in their Pet section |url=https://www.ksl.com/article/50512554/why-ksl-classifieds-is-working-to-fight-fraud-in-their-pet-section |access-date=2024-04-02 |website=www.ksl.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Free Pet Adoption Week - KSL Classifieds & Utah Humane Society |url=https://info.classifieds.ksl.com/adopt#:~:text=Free%20Pet%20Adoption%20Week,%20May%2021-28.%20Those,at%20the%20Humane%20Society%20of%20Utah%20in |access-date=2024-04-02 |website=info.classifieds.ksl.com}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==Further reading== * {{cite web | url=http://www.fairfieldsuntimes.com/articles/2013/10/29/business/doc527007a51255e375580911.txt | title=Deseret News, S.L. Tribune Revise Joint Operating Agreement | publisher=Fairfield Sun-Times | date=October 29, 2013 | access-date=12 February 2014}} * [http://www.journalism.org/2013/02/11/deseret-news-changing-two-media-cultures/ Deseret News – Changing Two Media Cultures | Pew Research Center's Journalism Project<!-- Bot generated title -->] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090913153622/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705329099/KSL-splitting-from-Bonneville-new-digital-media-company-created.html Sep 10, 2009 ''Deseret News'' article on DDMs formation] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20131127190929/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865591036/Deseret-Digital-Media-releases-Deseret-News-high-school-sports-mobile-website.html?pg=all Deseret Digital Media releases Deseret News high school sports mobile website<!-- Bot generated title -->] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20140222012548/http://slchamber.com/blog/head-of-deseret-digital-media-deseret-news-discusses-disruptive-change-10003303.htm Salt Lake Chamber | Head of Deseret Digital Media, Deseret News discusses disruptive change<!-- Bot generated title -->]
==External links== * [http://streetfightmag.com/2013/05/28/deseret-vp-how-disruption-can-drive-digital-media-companies-big-or-small/ "Deseret VP: How Disruption Can Drive Digital Media Companies"]. Street Fight.
{{DeseretMgt}} {{Latter-day Saints}} [[Category:Publishing companies established in 2009]] [[Category:2009 establishments in Utah]] [[Category:Deseret Management Corporation]] [[Category:Properties of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] [[Category:Companies based in Salt Lake City]] {{Authority control}} [[Category:Latter Day Saints]] [[Category:Deseret News]]