Courtroom Media Essay

1587 Words7 Pages
Media in the Courtroom: The Effects on Court Proceedings In 1950, entertainment and media were brought to new heights through television. Television is the main source for news because information is able to reach a large number of people. Regardless of the amount of newspaper journalist and radio station reporters that may be present in the courtroom, people opt to get new information from watching television. The exaggeration of court real court cases by the media raises debates regarding the lawfulness of media in the courtroom. Media in the courtroom has hindered court proceedings more than it has helped. Media Distortion and Editing Media in the courtroom, such as cameras can lead to the public drawing inappropriate conclusions. Many people believe that media in the courtroom allows everyone access. However, the media is known for distorting court proceedings through editing. Viewers only see portions of court proceedings that provide insufficient amounts information. The media only broadcasts clips of trials, because broadcasting entire court proceedings definitely does not attract the attention of many viewers. The omission of facts in cases eliminates the media’s argument that court proceedings that are televised educate the public. The media reveals a false perception of the judicial process, which will never be recovered with continued editing and distortions by the media. The public cannot distinguish false realities from facts that the media projects. The media seems to have selected cases that will be covered which are mostly high-profile cases involving celebrities. For example, the televised media coverage of O.J. Simpson before, during and after the trial was seen on television every hour of every day. Coverage began with the minute-by-minute coverage of the low speed police chase of O.J. Simpson. As the days went by the media continued
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