The program also includes spiritual messages and passages related to a specific episode's theme (the "spoken word"), presented by Derrick Porter.

In addition, it is currently broadcast by over 2,000 television and radio stations worldwide, including Bonneville International-owned KOIT-FM in San Francisco, KIRO-FM in Seattle-Tacoma, and KTAR-AM-FM in Phoenix.

[4][5] The Choir's first network radio program, Music & the Spoken Word was first transmitted on July 15, 1929.

[8] In 2004, in conjunction with its 75th anniversary, Music & the Spoken Word was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters' Radio Hall of Fame.

By April 2020, these reruns were augmented with new studio segments recorded in the Tabernacle by Newell with a skeleton crew.

[14] New episodes of Music & the Spoken Word officially resumed on October 24, 2021, originating from the LDS Church's Conference Center with no studio audience.

[15][16] Due to the Omicron variant, the Choir suspended operations again in December 2021, extending a pre-scheduled hiatus for the holiday season through March 2022.

[19] Each broadcast revolves around a specific theme which is usually based on a religious and uplifting topic which have included family, hope, faith, Christmas, patriotism, joy, peace, kindness, etc., and are usually broadly Christian in application.

These guests have included Renée Fleming, Frederica von Stade, Sissel, The King's Singers, Maureen McGovern, and other well-known groups, musicians, news anchors, and actors.

[20] The Orchestra at Temple Square was created in 1999 in order to increase the aesthetic and musical quality of performances.

The Orchestra also undertakes its own concert season performing from standard orchestral literature, which has included Mahler's Symphony No.

The original organ was made by Joseph Harris Ridges (1827–1914), a native of Australia, and contained seven hundred pipes.

The original writer, producer, and announcer of the spoken portion of the broadcast was Richard L. Evans, who continued in that capacity for over forty years until his death in 1971.

The overall seating capacity of the building (since its renovation) is 7,000, which includes the Choir area and balcony gallery.