• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Gateway Journalism Review

Published continuously since 1970

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Phone
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About GJR
  • News
    • Police Accountability Project
    • Midwest
    • Opinion
    • Media
  • Print issue
  • First Amendment Celebration
    • Watch: 11th Annual First Amendment Celebration

Televising court proceedings may not be all it’s cracked up to be

February 17, 2012 by William H. Freivogel Leave a Comment

image_pdfimage_print

The press generally applauded this month when the Senate Judiciary
Committee voted to require the U. S. Supreme Court to televise
proceedings. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., was one of the big
proponents.

As a card-carrying member of the press, I have reservations.

Maybe it’s just nostalgia. I covered the court for the St. Louis
Post-Dispatch in the 1980s and loved to watch the artists set up for
big arguments, arranging their pencils and positioning their canvas.

I also fear that justices and lawyers will become show boats. Justice
Scalia already is, but things could get worse.

Reporters should also beware what they wish for. Oral arguments seldom
produce sound bites.

Lastly, Congress probably doesn’t have the power to order the court to
televise arguments. The separation of powers is essential to the
architecture of the Constitution. Congress no more has power to force
the court to televise its proceedings than the Court has the power to
order Congress to change its rules.

Author

  • William H. Freivogel

    View all posts

Share our journalism
           

Filed Under: Media

Archive of St. Louis Journalism Review

The St. Louis Public Library maintains an archive of our collection when Gateway Journalism Review was the St. Louis Journalism Review.

Primary Sidebar

Sign up for our weekly newsletter!

Don't miss original stories about local journalism happening between the coasts. We deliver media news from the Midwest to your inbox every Thursday afternoon.


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Gateway Journalism Review, SIU Carbondale School of Journalism, Carbondale, IL, 62901, http://www.gatewayjr.org. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
No audio track to show. (Invalid input URL)

Life After Journalism


IRE Radio


Illinois News Broadcasters


Footer

11th Annual First Amendment Celebration featuring Evan Osnos

https://vimeo.com/704150392?loop=0

10th Annual First Amendment Celebration featuring Claire McCaskill

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwtrmyauuBA

Listen to GJR’s Founder

Become a sustaining member or associate of GJR with a recurring or one-time donation that supports our journalism.

Copyright © 2023 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in