The Image of Jurisprudence in the Media: Does Jurisprudence need to build Public Relations?

HANYCH, Monika. The Image of Jurisprudence in the Media: Does Jurisprudence need to build Public Relations? In Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Conference. 2017.

Basic information

• Original name: The Image of Jurisprudence in the Media: Does Jurisprudence need to build Public Relations?
• Name in Czech: Mediální obraz soudnictví: Potřebuje soudnictví budovat vztahy s veřejností?
• Authors: HANYCH, Monika.
• Edition: Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Conference, 2017.

Other information

• Type of outcome: Presentations at conferences
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• Keywords (in Czech): soudnictví, média, vztahy s veřejností, sociálněvědní výzkum
• Keywords in English: judiciary, media, public relations, social science research
• Tags: kvantitativní a obsahová analýza, masmedia, soudnictví, veřejné mínění
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

The media hugely affect the perception of politics, law, and democracy in a society in different ways. They have the power to influence the public views on the system of balances and division of the state power, twisting public opinion and setting the agenda they praise for. On the other hand, they are highly useful for the institutions in power; and the judiciary is one of them. The reason is that the prerequisite of open modern justice is the principle of not only how the justice is made but also how it is explained and transmitted to the public. Undoubtedly, without the wide range of media public outreach, it would be much more difficult, or even impossible, to fulfil this judicial aim. This relationship of media and judiciary – being both a kind of a communication system – can though work both ways; sometimes contradictory, sometimes beneficial for both parties. That is why the ongoing research focuses on how the media transmit, shape and though influence the media messages about judicial decision-making in the Czech Republic. The first part of the research methodology is based on the Epstein-Lee method of measuring the issue salience. It detects what kind of stories make it to the front pages of the newspapers and what are the reasons behind it. The second part of the analysis is based on the qualitative research throughout the media types. It develops a deeper analysis of the content of the stories, the language used and the perspective adopted by the media.