Trial By Media Analysis

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The subject of ‘Trial by Media’ has been discussed by civil rights activists, constitutional lawyers, judges and academics extensively in recent times. With the increasing popularity of the television and news-channels, the amount of publicity which any crime or suspect or even an accused gets in the media has reached alarming proportions. Innocents may be condemned for no reason or those who are guilty may not get a fair trial or may get a higher sentence after trial than they deserved. There appears to be very little restraint in the media in so far as the administration of criminal justice is concerned. If media exercises an unrestricted or rather unregulated freedom in publishing information about a criminal case and prejudices the mind…show more content…
Furthermore, a significant question that arises in this matter and that was subsequently discussed in this report was whether a media publication can ‘unconsciously’ influence judges or juries and whether judges, as human beings are not susceptible to such indirect influences, at least subconsciously or unconsciously? The American view appears to be that jurors and judges are not liable to be influenced by media publication, while the Anglo-Saxon view is that judges, at any rate may still be subconsciously influenced. It has been observed that the Supreme Court has accepted the Anglo-Saxon view in the case of Reliance Petro chemicals v. Proprietor of Indian Express . It appears that it was accepted by the Supreme Court that judges are likely to be “subconsciously”…show more content…
The freedom of the media not being absolute, media persons connected with the print and electronic media have to be equipped with sufficient inputs as to the width of the right under Art 19(1) (a) and about what is not permitted to be published under Art 19(2). Aspects of constitutional law, human rights, protection of life and liberty, law relating to defamation and Contempt of Court are important from the media point of view. Besides, a suitable way to regulate the media will be to exercise the contempt jurisdiction of the court to punish those who violate the basic code of conduct. The use of contempt powers against the media channels and newspapers by courts have been approved by the Supreme Court in a number of cases. The media cannot be allowed freedom of speech and expression to an extent as to prejudice the trial itself. The print and electronic media have gone into fierce and ruthless competition, as we call them ‘aggressive journalism’. The problem does not lie in media’s exposing the lacuna of a bad investigation by police, or mal-performance of the duties ordained to the civil servants but the eye-brows start to raise when the media ultra-vires its legitimate jurisdiction and does what it must not do. The media trial has now moved on to media verdict and media punishment which is no doubt an illegitimate use
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