THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COURTS AND MEDIA
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COURTS AND MEDIA

Summary/Abstract: Judicial authorities have а difficult task to deal with the undermined public confidence in the judiciary and to reverse this trend in favor of general appreciation of their work by citizens. The announced judicial reform which failed, the internal problems of the judiciary, and the tabloidization by the media which create an unfavorable environment are the causes that have generated doubt about the fair administration of justice by the judicial authorities. Representatives of the judiciary can change such an image only by a pro-active attitude towards this problem. Reticence and passivity of the judiciary are not a good way to change the unfavorable picture of their work to the desired level. Consistent implementation of the principles of publicity, demystification of the work of the judiciary, and openness towards the media is the path that leads to establishing trust in the work of the judiciary. Constant communication between the representatives of the judiciary and journalists, which would eliminate any doubt that the prosecution and the courts "are hiding something", is not only a requirement but also a necessity. In particular, the authors point to the delicate boundary between the justified public interest in obtaining relevant information and the abuse of freedom of expression by crossing the line which implies the violation of the rights of others. In this paper, the authors point out the causes of this unfavorable environment, as well as the obstacles that occur daily in communication between the courts and the media.

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