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Live Broadcasting the Courtroom: A Field Experiment Using Real Trials

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Abstract

We conducted an experiment to study the effects of live broadcasting in the courtroom. Collaborating with a court in China, we randomly assigned trials to be broadcast live on the Internet during a 4-week period. We found that live broadcasting significantly affects the behavior of the parties to the trials. Their average speaking speed was slower during a live broadcast and did not return to normal after the first several minutes, implying that they were cautious or nervous. Meanwhile, the parties’ statements became less informative. In contrast, the repeat players, that is, judges and lawyers, became more stable and less emotional during a live stream. Judges also used more legalese to behave more formally in court. Contrary to prevalent theories, we did not find that live streaming diverted judges’ attention, limited their questioning, or affected court decisions. Nor did we find that lawyers played to the cameras or became more voluble.

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