KUER is proud to announce that local Morning Edition host and reporter Ciara Hulet has received a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award in the Hard News category for her reporting on Singularism, a Provo-based spiritual group whose use of psilocybin mushrooms as a religious sacrament became the subject of a legal battle.
Hulet's story explored the legal and philosophical questions at the center of the case, including how courts determine what qualifies as a religion and how religious freedom protections apply to unconventional beliefs. The reporting examined the intersection of faith, law and public policy while bringing national context to a uniquely Utah story.
“What’s fascinating about this case is that it happened in Utah, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has its own history of being persecuted for believing things other people thought were weird,” Hulet said. “I think my story resonated because it gets people to think deeply about their own definition of religion and how far the law goes.”
Regional Murrow Awards are presented to small and large radio, television and digital outlets based on 14 geographic regions. Regional winners are automatically considered for a National award.
“Ciara has a gift for taking complicated issues and making them accessible without losing the nuance,” said News Director Elaine Clark. “This story tackled difficult questions about faith, law and individual rights, and her reporting reflects the curiosity and fairness that define KUER's journalism."
Hulet joined KUER in 2022 as the local host of Morning Edition. In addition to guiding listeners through the morning news, she reports on issues shaping Utah with a particular interest in religion.
