Law Notes On - Trial By Media - For W.B.C.S. Examination.

Posted on February 26th, 2020 in Law
Tags: Law, Notes, WBCS

Law Notes On – Trial By Media – For W.B.C.S. Examination.

A crime is an act punishable by the state that causes harm or discontent

against a community or individual. Crime is known to be “an action or

omission that constitutes an offense that may be prosecuted by the state

and is punishable by law”.Continue Reading Law Notes On – Trial By

Media – For W.B.C.S. Examination.

Crime can be classified through a variety of elements which violate the

rights of a community at large. Acts of crime are punishable upon proof of

guilt that are presented in the court of law. Consequently, criminal law is

the law which defines these crimes and may aid or establish their

subsequent punishments. These criminal laws are enforced through

criminal procedures and trials. These trials however, can be influenced,

corrected, and sometimes even regulated by the media.

Early research conducted by the Payne Fund studies found that the mass

media had a powerful effect over its audience, which lead to the more

recent ‘trial by media’ debate. ‘Trial by Media’ essentially

translates as media bias. The Sun Newspaper’s switch from Conservative

to Labour just before the general election in 1997, and Labour’s

subsequent win, arguably demonstrates evidence of the powerful effect

of bias within the media. (Jones M., Jones E. Mass Media 1998 p190) In

the case of Jamie Bulger, murdered by two young boys in 1993, blame

was attributed to the media for the 18-certificate horror ‘Childs

Play3′ production, from which the boys were said to have ‘re-enacted’

some scenes. (Jones p76) The many studies into media effects on

audiences have raised some valid arguments and theories. Belief as to

who has more effect over media content (and bias of content) is

divided into hegemonic Marxist theory (dominated by elite ideology)

versus the pluralist approach (public autonomy). Debate into audience

reception of media output falls into several different schools of

thought; reception analysis theory, deviancy amplification and moral

panic, and the argument over whether the media encourages violence.

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