NCJ Number
139391
Journal
Media Studies Journal Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (Winter 1992), 173-182
Date Published
1992
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Highly publicized criminal cases featuring sex, money, and drama capture the imagination of the American public while other, more significant civil cases are not covered by the major news media.
Abstract
This author points to several spectacular criminal trials to illustrate the lack of attention being paid to important civil cases involving employment discrimination, sexual harassment, product liability, surrogate parents, prayer in school, abortion, and prison overcrowding. The media ignore these types of cases because they do not know how to cover them and perhaps do not even know how to find the stories in the first place. Civil, unlike criminal, cases require a reporter to follow a court docket, understand issues and the relevant laws, and commit large amounts of staff resources. The author notes that civil cases are where basic societal conflicts are resolved. While television cameras are allowed into Federal courts, many television stations have failed to cover their proceedings. However, the author is hopeful that this Federal court experiment will eventually lead to more extensive courtroom media coverage of interesting civil cases.