O.J. SIMPSON CASE & THE MEDIA.   Term Paper ID:24680 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Argues that print & TV journalists were sensationalistic & irresponsible in coverage of murder, trial & aftermath.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Argues that print & TV journalists were sensationalistic & irresponsible in coverage of murder, trial & aftermath. Paper Introduction: The media coverage of the O.J. Simpson criminal case was excessive and a prime example of sensationalism in journalism. Although the media claimed that the coverage was justified, little was gained for the general public. The real winners were the television stations, book authors, and reporters who turned the case into a media gold mine. Perhaps the most lasting social effect of the trial was the revelation of racial differences in thinking in America. The O.J. Simpson criminal case had all the ingredients that tabloid journalists crave. Simpson was, of course, a celebrity. In addition, he was attractive, as were the murder victims. Spicing up the case were the added, forbidden elements of race and sex: "America's dirty little secret--the obsession with race and sex that had haunted the nation since the days of slavery and Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. As thecompetition frenzy deepened, television stations resorted to leading offtheir news broadcasts with minor trivia related to the trial. [6]Ibid, 22 . Media stereotypes related to attractive blondes D. In addition, hewas attractive, as were the murder victims. [5]Gibbs, 147. . [2]Lincoln Caplan, "Sport TV: The Failure of LegalJournalism," New Republic (October 23, 1995), 18. So many conflicting accounts and opinions have been expressed thatit is hard to know what to believe. The cameras gave the public the opportunity to witness theSimpson trial in its entirety. Books." Time(October 28, 1996): 81-82.Douglas, Susan. Although the mediaclaimed that the coverage was justified, little was gained for the generalpublic. [14]Ibid, 25.----------------------- 12 But in many instances, the mediaexhibited a light-hearted treatment of the trial. Post-trial coverage was detrimental for jurors A. Bailey specifically questioned Fuhrman about whether he had usedracial slurs in the past, an allegation that Fuhrman repeatedly denied.(The defense believed that Fuhrman was symbolic of a racist police officercapable of planting evidence damaging to Simpson.) Fuhrman's testimonywould have stood unchallenged had not the media intervened by disclosingthe existence of audio tapes in which Fuhrman repeatedly used racial slurs: "Through a series of carefully orchestrated leaks, excerpts of the tapesappeared in the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and several majorweekly magazines . Simpson trialbecause it sells."[13] The mega-coverage of the recent deaths of PrincessDiana and young JonBenet Ramsey support this conclusion. A prime example is the reaction of whitesto the Fuhrman tapes: "To white Americans, these statements were shocking,beyond belief, utterly difficult to fathom."[12] The Simpson trial causedmany white Americans to re-examine their beliefs about racism and the law. Others in themedia intimated that the jury (which consisted of mostly blacks) had lackedthe intelligent to understand the importance of scientific evidencepresented in the case: "At the end of the day, the editorials and slantednews articles shed much more light on the writers' ambivalence aboutblacks, and particularly about black males married to white females, thanon the motives and meaning of the jury's verdict."[6] Jurors soon foundthemselves in the position of defending not only their verdict but theirpersonal integrities as well. "Meta-coverage." America (March 4, 1995): 25."Race and the Verdicts." Los Angeles Times (October 1 , 1995), S2.Thesis: Media coverage of the O.J. This allowed some people to learn about thelaw; albeit viewing the Simpson case provided a distorted view of legalproceedings. and clearly revealed Fuhrman making offensivecomments about blacks, Hispanics, other minorities, women, andhomosexuals."[1 ] Much debate also centered on the presence of television cameras inthe courtroom. Themedia were convinced that Simpson would be found guilty. Employed a battery of legal experts and journalists B. Media coverage was undignifiedVI. BibliographyCaplan, Lincoln. Simpson was a celebrity B. The Simpson case pandered to the prurient interests of the public. Simpson case was part of historyVIII.Conclusion A. Perhaps the mostlasting social effect of the trial was the revelation of racial differencesin thinking in America. Benefits of media coverage A. Television stations that aired the trial were rewarded withsensational ratings: "CNN's ratings increased five-fold when it televisedthe Simpson proceedings."[2] Once competing television stations startedairing the trial, other stations had no choice but to follow suit. Overall, however, televisingthe trial gave the public the chance to form their own opinions free ofinfluence of the bias of reporters and experts. "They Want to Tell Us: Battle of the O.J. Throughout the case numerous peoplepublished books, and granted interviews to talk shows and tabloids.Seemingly no one who held an opinion left it unexpressed. Simpson case stretched the envelope of ethical journalism inan unsavory direction. Jurors forced to defend their integrityV. Coverage ofthe Simpson trial often pre-empted news of much greater importance tosociety, a phenomenon that one critic referred to as the "O.J.-ification ofthe news."[3] The attention the media gave to the Simpson trial wasclearly excessive. First, the length of the trial was atypical. "Sport TV: The Failure of Legal Journalism." NewRepublic (October 23, 1995): 18(2).Collins, James. [13]James Martin, "Meta-coverage." America (March 4, 1995),25. In trying to second-guess the jury, some of the media concludedthat instead of focusing on Simpson's guilt or innocence, the jury wastrying to send a message about racism or police corruption. On the witness stand,Fuhrman was unflappable under questioning by noted defense attorney F. Simpson criminal case was excessiveand a prime example of sensationalism in journalism. The Simpson trial was instrumental in exposing the existence ofracial differences in thinking in American society. The real winners were the television stations, book authors, andreporters who turned the case into a media gold mine. Excessive media attention blurred the truthVII. But the Simpson trial wasa minor footnote in America history and the coverage of the case wasgrossly out of proportion: "As Robert Hughes remarked in a trenchant essayin The New York Review of Books, by the time the trial has ended,television will have devoted more hours to O.J. Attractive blondes are overwhelmingly portrayed in the mediaas likable people, regardless of their inner attributes. Coverage did not benefit public welfare----------------------- [1]Jewelle Taylor Gibbs, Race and Justice (San Francisco:Jossey-Bass, 1996), 22 . . Spicing up the case were theadded, forbidden elements of race and sex: "America's dirty little secret--the obsession with race and sex that had haunted the nation since the daysof slavery and was always just below the surface of civilizeddiscourse."[1] The O.J. [7]Terry Golway, "A Press that Blurs the Difference Betweenthe Movie Star of the Moment and Killers." America (April 8,1995), 4. [11]"Race and the Verdicts," Los Angeles Times (October 1 ,1995), S2. "The Erasure of Revolt." Progressive (May 1995): 17.Gibbs, Jewelle Taylor. Likewise, cognizant of the racial overtones of the trial,newspapers and television stations trotted out all available minorityjournalists on staff to cover the case. Journalists routinely defend their coverage of the Simpson case bycontending that the trial was a part of history. The media coverage of the O.J. As one critic observed, "CNNalone has hired approximately 5 legal analysts to help make sense of itall. Among whites, 31 percentbelieved that race was the most important factor in the Simpson case, but69 percent believed that the Simpson defense team used the race issueappropriately. latitudes."[8] Virtually every adult in the United States had formed an opinionabout the Simpson case before it went to trial. When the jurysubmitted a verdict for acquittal, the media lashed out, making the jurythe scapegoat. Granted, the Simpson trial had some benefits. The trial demonstratedthat America is not a melting pot, at least where the opinions of blacksand whites are concerned. The media play an important role in how the public identifies withcertain types of people. than it has to all ofAmerican history."[14] The O.J. Simpson's ex-wife Nicole was blond andattractive. In fact, the trial wasakin to a "full employment act" for legal analysts and minorityjournalists. Simpson criminal case had all the ingredients that tabloidjournalists crave. Granted, it felt like ahistoric moment when the verdict was aired; all major television stationsinterrupted their regular broadcasting. They even give daily grades to the prosecution, the defense, and, ofcourse, the witnesses."[9] These legal experts included former and currentdefense lawyers, judges, prosecutors, and U.S. Every newsstand display, from supermarkets to airports,carried cover stories about the tragedy: "The major news magazines ran tencover stories about it [the Simpson case] between June 1994 and April1995."[4] Among the most infamous of magazine cover photos was onepublished by Time magazine, which showed a retouched police mug shot ofSimpson: "The photograph had been altered to make him look darker and moremenacing, the epitome of white America's stereotype of the violent andsexually aggressive black male."[5] The post-trial publicity of the Simpson case was also negative. [12]Gibbs, 264. In other words, people exude more sympathy forpeople with whom they can identify. The media coverage of the Simpson trial was undignified given thegravity of the subject matter. Recently, three contradictory books were released by the samepublisher: "it is impossible for the three authors each to be telling thetruth, and in a different world this might trouble their shared publishinghouse. Much of the informationunearthed about the accused, the victims, their families, friends, andlifestyles amounted to gossip: "television, as is its habit, has taken thelead in transforming the trial into just another entertainment offering, adevelopment that ought to shock us--if only our expectations weren'talready diminished."[7] The excessive media coverage of the Simpson trial has blurred thetruth. Even though jurors pledgedtheir impartiality and their willingness to disregard prior information, itwas almost impossible to eliminate the pre-trial effect of the massivemedia coverage of the case. The trial pre-empted more important news B. Fuhrman was one of four police detectives who searchedSimpson's Rockingham estate without a warrant. [9]Douglas, 17. Simpson case was difficult forjurors to ignore. [3]Susan Douglas, "The Erasure of Revolt," Progressive (May1995), 17. Thus when ayoung, attractive blonde meets a tragic death, the media routinelysensationalize the incident: "The media cover the O.J. The O.J. Coverage did not exemplify ethical journalism B. Simpson was, of course, a celebrity. Responding to the same question, 17 percent of blacksbelieved that race was the most important factor in the Simpson trial, yetonly 12 percent felt that Simpson's lawyers used the issueinappropriately.[11] Part of the reason that blacks and whites differed in their opinionsof the Simpson trial was based on the principle that similarity leads toliking. Another benefit of the media was their role in bringing to light theMark Fuhrman tapes. But that is not the kind of world we are living in, especially inits O.J. [1 ]Gibbs, 178. In a telephone poll conducted by the Los AngelesTimes of 76 adults living in Los Angeles County, wide variationsconcerning race and the verdict were expressed. The excessive coverage of the case did not serve the publicwelfare. Simpson criminal case was the victim of a media snowballeffect. [8]James Collins, "They Want to Tell Us: Battle of the O.J.Books," Time (October 28, 1996), 82. Simpson criminal case was a prime example of sensationalism in journalism.I. For this reason, Judge Lance Ito, who presidedover the legal proceedings, ordered the jurors not to view pertinent mediapublicity, and isolated them during the trial. Differences based on similarity/dissimilarity toaccused/victim 3. Pre-trial coverage was detrimental for jurorsIV. Blacks held different opinions than whites 2. If we think we wouldn't have committeda particular criminal act, we may assume that someone who is like us isalso unlikely to have done it. People were glued to their TVs andradios in homes, offices, bars, and restaurants around the world. Competition among the media was a major factorIII. Two people were brutally murdered and aman's future hung in the balance. His "dream team" includedspecialists in various aspects of legalism. Both accused and victims were attractive peopleII. Race and sex were involved C. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1996.Golway, Terry. And theSimpson trial has indeed made the history books. Every television station employed a battery of legal expertsto interpret the complexities of the trial. (The averagemurder proceeding is concluded in a fraction of the time.) Second,Simpson's celebrity and economic status afforded him the luxury of animpressive team of expensive defense lawyers. Uncovered the Fuhrman tapes C. The pre-trial publicity of the O.J. Revealed racial differences in thinking 1. Race and Justice. LeeBailey. The media catered to the prurient interests of thepublic. "A Press That Blurs the Difference Between the Movie Starof the Moment and Killers." America (April 8, 1995): 4.Martin, James. Long after thetrial, the debate and the publishing frenzy of books and articlescontinues. Media attacked jurors B. People are more sympathetic to others who share their attitudes,religion, race, or gender. Justice Departmentofficials. A. [4]Caplan, 18. Coverage of the Simpson trial was excessive A. Many accused the jury of racial bias and Johnnie Cochran,Jr., Simpson's lead attorney, of the undue use of race as an issue in thetrial. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

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