Media in the Courtroom If the courts are better understood, they will be better accepted. The use of media in the courtroom can provide the level of public access needed to build genuine public support for the justice system. It has long been argued the press has the right to bring cameras into the courtroom arguing that (1) freedom of speech and the press is guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution and (2) in a truly free society, the public has a right to know what goes on inside a courtroom. Media and the Judiciary The issue of judicial discretion in relation to the media has been a source of debate. Judges have the power to allow media in the courtroom as well as have the power of impacting society, defendants' lives and the manner in which society views the judicial system. These factors are both positive and negative elements in regard to the issue; however they also lead to a critical conclusion. There exists a number of issues of constitutional dimension and judicial practicality when addressing the complex area of media and the law. Ultimately however, without abdicating the authority of the judiciary to control the decorum of the courtroom, the constitutions of our nation and state must prevail in time of conflict (Parnham). Media and the Law An issue that is central to America's constitutional foundation is the ongoing conflict between the First Amendment and the Sixth Amendment. The issue focuses on the current controversy about video cameras in the courtroom and the impact they might have on the free press-fair trial debate. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides, in part, that the “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech or of the press.” Additionally, the Sixth Amendment provides that “in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial” (Parnham). An unknown source once stated, “Freedom of the press, properly conceived, is basic to our constitutional...