Fair Trial and Freedom of the Press

Fair trial and freedom of the press concerns how to balance the right of a free press and the defendant's right to a fair trial. News reporting on judicial proceedings helps the public understand the legal procedure better and contributes to the public's right to know about the working of the justice system (→ Right to Know). The media play an important watchdog role in monitoring the administration of justice (→ Freedom of the Press, Concept of). However, the news media sometimes misrepresent court trials and mislead viewers and readers (→ Yellow Journalism). This kind of inaccurate media coverage might affect jurors or judges in such a way as to prejudice their supposedly impartial judgment.