The Supreme Court and the Media
Arguments over hearings and decisions being televised for the public to watch inside the courtroom have been debated. Proponents of televising courtroom proceedings have often cited several advantages, including the fact that it showed allowed because it educates the general public and law students regarding the judicial process (Barber, 2012). Moreover, others also suggest that adopting this approach enhances public trust and confidence in court processes. However, Barber (2012) explains that some judges have often expressed concern that televised court proceedings make them easy targets from disappointed litigants and the public in extension. Another suggestion against televised courtroom proceedings is that the camera can prevent some individuals from being honest because they might fidget and distort how they respond to certain questions (Barber, 2012). This factor can affect the outcome of a given case.
Despite several concerns regarding televised court proceedings, no evidence exists to support these concerns. While some judges claim that court proceedings make them easy targets from disappointed litigants and the public, their personal information is already available in the public domain, which would not make sense for them to conduct proceedings behind the camera. Additionally, having a camera in court would offer insights regarding the sincerity of the victims. In some cases, others have suggested that information cases or defendants are forgotten quickly, and televising these proceedings offers a record that can be used for future reference. Based on this understanding, I feel that the advantages of adopting televised courtroom proceedings outweigh the cons, which explains why I think court proceedings should be televised unless in special situations where confidential information has to be concealed from the public.
References
Barber, S. (2012). Televised Trials: Weighing Advantages Against Disadvantages. The Justice System Journal, 10(3), 279-291. Retrieved December 3, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20877787
