Sky News pushes for cameras in Court rooms...

[max_tranmere]

I saw this on Sky News earlier, they said there is a push for all Court cases to be televised and that "this is something supported by Sky News". I've watched Sky News for years and I've NEVER heard of them lobbying for something. I was astonished when I saw this. Could you imagine BBC News which is licensed by Ofcom, just like Sky is, pushing for something to happen? Whether you think that cameras in Court would be a good thing or not, it is worrying that Sky now seems to have become an organisation with a political slant - just like the other Murdoch owned broadcaster Fox News in the USA. This is worrying I think.

[pornoshop]

They probably think its very cleaver timing to get people on their side after the public interest and anger with the super injunctions - it would constantly create news which is needed for 24 hour a day news channels

[Essex Lad]

Yes but the people who get superinjunctions don't actually attend the cases and even in court they are referred to by pseudonyms so televising the cases would do nothing to alleviate that particular legal minefield.

[pornoshop]

I know - but the fact that court room decisions and celebrities are in the news together will create a better situation for Sky and anyone else to now push for televised court rooms

[Essex Lad]

And you can bet that juicy murder trials will be pay-per-view...

[max_tranmere]

Fox News in America is known to be very subjective, and the lobbying Sky are doing over this 'cameras in Court rooms' thing is the first I have heard of Sky in Britain becoming a bit like Fox. Maybe the next step will be for Sky to incorporate a very right-wing, Daily Mail type Editorial stance - like Fox in the USA.

[FridaySe]

I personally find this worrying.

Currently you can have your day in court and if proven innocent, walk out without anyone in your local area or even work place knowing you were there.

If Court TV starts, that's gone. If you're up on the screen as the defendant, you are from that point on the man or woman who was on trial for a crime and mud does stick, it will forever colour the opinion of anyone who watched the trial.

Add to that the increase in pressure on the jurors themselves to return what many of them will see as the "correct" verdict instead of the lawful verdict.


I was recently poled for jury duty on a very disturbing abuse case and I shudder to think how court TV would have further screwed up the lives of everyone involved.
I know this type of case hasn't really been considered as TV fodder, but it's not a big leap to see abuse cases being tried on Court TV if it goes ahead.