Television courtroom broadcasting research : the problem, the challenge and eye tracking

Abstract

Courtroom broadcasting is always topical, if not emotive. Currently there are legislative efforts to allow television cameras into US federal courts. The new UK Supreme Court permits television cameras. Some might argue that this is a change or an advance for television courtroom broadcasting. Others might say that it merely reflects the status quo, as the House of Lords as an appeal chamber was televised up to August 2009, with the new Supreme Court beginning in October 2009, and thus there is no policy change. The US Supreme Court also had to deal with television courtroom broadcasting issues recently (Hollingsworth). However, what are the effects of television courtroom broadcasting? Do we know? The answer is 'not really'. The extent of the empirical research is too limited. That is the problem referred to in the title.