The debate of whether Canada's court cases should be televised has drawn much discussion since this medium had become utilised in the United States. This issue is even more relevant today, because of the advancement in sensational media coverage, which potentially covers more major cases in the continent. A few years ago, the televised trial of William Kennedy Smith in Florida, had flooded onto Canadian televisions and provided us with the opportunity to observe the American judicial system first-hand. As a result of this, the question arose if Canada's courtrooms should be televised, like our neighbours in the south or if they already work more effectively without the interference of television broadcasting.

Televised trials in Canada would provide substantial benefits to the courtroom judicial process. Cases should be televised because the accused has the greatest opportunity for redemption when they are handed a non-guilty sentence in front of a viewing audience. The audience, while viewing the case, would be able to witness and understand the non-guilty decision, more so than they could obtain after reviewing only a summarised article in a newspaper. In the case of W

Thus, the current law in Canada, prohibiting televised coverage of trials should stand as is, as this provides a more fair and reasonable trial process for any accused person, overall.

gree of honesty in the courtroom and the potential for public vindication, if found innocent of the charges. There is, however, substantial rationale for courtroom cases not to be televised, and to maintain the current system in Canada.

Also, the actions of the lawyers, witnesses, judge, and the accused involved in a televised case would be quite different form their actions if there was no camera present. As observed in courts in the U.S., witnesses within televised cases exhibit extreme discomfort because their testimony is being questioned by the lawyers, and viewed by the public at the same time. This could easily result in their testimony being taken as false or just not credible. Furthermore, many lawyers behave in a fashion which seems to more entertain and manipulate the audience rather than stick to just the trial procedure at hand, in an attempt to win the trial more by popularity than good legal manoeuvring. Judges, as well, would have a greater tendency for posturing on-camera, to be seen as solid public figures rather than just judicial supervisors of the legal process. In addition, there is a greater chance for the whole trial to become a "media circus", where the broadcasting of the trial i!

illiam Kennedy Smith, he was at first, convicted in the mind of the public, based on newspaper accounts, until the public was able to observe the strength of his case and the weakness of the prosecution. As a result, his reputation was largely restored wit

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