Throughout the history of man, the penalty of death was given to criminals who have broken the law. Capital Punishment is the extreme penalty for a crime and is still used today in many countries, including our country the United States of America. As a nation, we believe that a convicted felon should be punished accordingly. The question is, does the public have the right to view this on television? No. .
Already television stations have jumped at the opportunity to view live executions. In 1992 a San Francisco news stations sued for the right to tape and view a live execution to have as a documentary footage about the death penalty, their claim was rejected. Also in 1994, Phil Donahue, a talk show host, tried to get permission to air the execution of David Lawson a convicted of murder in North Carolina on his daytime show. They brought the case all the way to the Supreme Court where they lost their case. .
Making an execution a public exhibit would violate civilized society, not to mention the convicted felons. Airing executions would make an eased display of the nations worst prisoners. Presenting the viewers to real deaths, making violent crimes occur more frequently in the future. Although the opposition would state that if a crime were to be committed against the nation, the citizens of that nation have the right to view the punishment of those whom committed the felony. The fact is that if the First Amendment of the United States Constitution only gives the freedom for press not media. This gives the government the privilege to say what can or can not be seen on national television. .
Today in TV and movies, the public is exposed to countless acts of violence and numerous fake deaths and crimes. Each Television station by law is required to indication they"re rating is the beginning of the production. There are millions upon millions of parents throughout the United States of America and the world, constantly monitoring all of the information that their children receive through television.
