Other Types of Basic Stories
while learning how to report on crimes/fires/accidents/court proceedings is all very important and interesting, the thing that really popped out at me in this chapter was the free-press/fair-trial controversy. i was really young when the O.J. Simpson trial was taking place, but the one thing i really remember about it was it being on the television in the cafeteria at my elementary school.
the court definitely should put some restrictions on the media in certain cases. sometimes it is the issue of safety for the people involved in the case. despite being on the side of the media in most cases, i don't side with it on this issue. i believe that the court is its own area where private things happen, and then it is up to the media to get its information based upon briefings, documents, and press conferences. especially in higher profile cases, or when there is, as the book says 'overriding interest".
i don't know much about the process of law, but i am realizing there are many mistakes that can easily be made when reporting it. and the consequences can be high. accuracy is definitely very important when it comes to court reporting.
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I definitely agree with you about media coverage during some trials.
I find it interesting that reporters can't bring in recording devices of any kind into a court building, even if it is to meet with someone not in court.
So then, I wonder, how do journalists go about getting clearance for getting their cameras into a court trial, especially for a high profile person? It's probably because of their "celebrity status." Maybe waive a couple of "the public wants to know"'s and the camera'll be there tout de suite.
I don't think it's right, though. Most times the media tries people even before they get their chance in court. And what do the jury do? it's hard to ignore news coverage, and therefore hard to be objective. I think in the OJ case they were sequestered for a very long time.
I remember last year, we looked at OJ Simpson trial coverage in several of my classes. Did you know that Times and I think it was Newsweek actually made OJ's skin look darker? Maybe it was Newsweek that did it, and Times not. Anyways, there was such an outcry that for the first time in history, the magazine had to reprint the cover with his correct skin tone.
They color corrected it because they wanted him to appear more ominous. I saw the photograph, and immediately, without knowing any real facts, I thought he had done the crime. That's pretty sad.
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