Lloyd David Newell (born 1956) is an American journalist, university professor, author, and announcer. He is best-known for the thirty-three years as host of Music and the Spoken Word, the oldest weekly nationwide radio broadcast in the United States. Born into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), he is a descendant of Susannah Stone Lloyd, a member of the .
Lloyd D. Newell was born on July 17, 1956, the second of the seven children of Neil Oscar Newell and Verna Louise (née Lloyd). His father was a crane operator for Geneva Steel for 37 years. From early childhood, Newell listened to the weekly broadcasts of Music and the Spoken Word in his family's Utah home. After graduating from Orem High School he attended Brigham Young University (BYU), earning a bachelor's degree in communications in 1980. Although he'd intended to attend law school afterward, he changed his mind and instead earned a master's degree in communication, focused on broadcast journalism, in 1985.
He worked for a time in television as both a news anchor and news magazine host in Salt Lake City, Utah and Erie, Pennsylvania. He was also a management consultant and seminar leader. His father's death in an industrial accident at Geneva Steel in 1986 and his mother's poor health required his return from Pennsylvania to Utah. From then until he joined BYU as a full-time educator in 1999, he was a writer, producer and narrator/announcer for the US Department of Veteran Affairs, Bonneville Communications, Novell, Deseret Book, and other companies. He also flew to Atlanta, Georgia as a weekend anchor for CNN.
Newell's work with Bonneville Communications led to his invitation as a backup host of Music and the Spoken Word. In 1990, he became the interim host following the retirement of Spence Kinard. A year later Gordon B. Hinckley, then a counselor in the LDS Church's First Presidency, appointed Newell as the permanent host. When Newell announced his 1992 engagement to Karmel Howell on the air, the Tabernacle Choir serenaded them with "Let Me Call You Sweetheart."
In 1993, he left CNN and began a part-time appointment on the faculty of BYU's Department of Church History and Doctrine while continuing his writing, producing, and announcing work for the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, Deseret Book, Living Scriptures, and other companies. Five years later he joined the full-time faculty. The following year, after earning a Ph.D. in Family Sciences, he became an assistant professor. In 2005, he became an associate professor and in 2010 he became a full professor, all in the same department. He also became an associate faculty member in BYU's School of Family Life.
Newell delivered over 1,750 inspirational messages during his tenure as the announcer for Music and the Spoken Word from 1990 to 2024. He was recognized for uplifting millions of listeners worldwide with his soothing voice and thoughtful messages of hope, resilience, and universal truth without denominational boundaries.
Mike Leavitt, former Utah governor and president of the Tabernacle Choir, described Newell as "one of the most prolific and influential contributors of inspirational literature in the history of modern media", noting that his messages became "digestible sermons and insights" for a global audience.
The host role is an LDS Church calling. Gordon B. Hinckley asked him to serve in 1990 with the charge to deliver messages that were "inspirational gems"âÂÂinspiring, uplifting, and based in truth. Each message, typically two to three minutes long, was intended to touch people's hearts, bring a ray of hope, and spread goodwill. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he recorded multiple messages in the church's empty Conference Center, which the crew then splicedàinto previous choir performances.
His messages resonated across faiths. Non-Latter-day Saints often wrote that the broadcast was their de facto worship service, with one listener saying, âÂÂThis is my church.â He received thousands of letters from listeners who said his words came at just the right moment to offer comfort during illness, strength in hardship, or renewed hope. Though he has never been a minister, pastor or bishop, some of these letters are addressed to "Reverend Newell" at the "Church of the Crossroads of the West." Listeners also described his presence as familiar and familial, like âÂÂa trusted friend or family memberâ sharing sacred truths. Derrick Porter, his successor, recalled mimicking NewellâÂÂs tone as a child during mock general conferences, underscoring how his voice was woven into Latter-day Saint culture. As Newell prepared to conclude his service in June 2024, Leavitt called the moment "historic," emphasizing that Newell had become an "icon in inspirational broadcasting."
He and his wife, Karmel, are the parents of four children. From 2021 to 2024, he served in the LDS Church as a counselor in a stake presidency. On December 10, 2023, he announced his upcoming departure from Music and the Spoken Word in the summer of 2024 to serve as president of the church's California Los Angeles Mission. His last broadcast was on June 16, 2024. Derrick Porter was appointed as his successor.