Publication Bans

Here is a website  that you can find more information on Publication Bans:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/publicationbans/

Here is a example of the media going over board and blocking a car from leaving.

In Canada a judge can issue a publication ban to protect the identity of a victim or a witness, and by law judges are required to issue bans to protect identities of victims of sexual assaults and witnesses to sexual assaults who are less than 18 years of age

During a trial, anything that is said or presented in court while the jury is away cannot be reported. Only after the trial can the press reveal "what the jury didn't see."
By law, judges must grant a publication ban on evidence presented at bail hearings and preliminary inquiries if requested to do so.

In general, publication bans exist to:

1. Ensure a fair trial for a person accused of a crime.
2. Ensure transparency of proceedings so Canadians know that crimes are prosecuted, and punished if proven.
3. Ensure privacy of people who may be affected by the information divulged in court.

Publication bans are often imposed when children are involved, to protect them from harmful publicity. In Ontario, it is illegal to reveal the names of children involved in hearings regarding their custody. In fact, publishing any information that would identify them, including their parents' names, their ages or sometimes even the school they attend, is banned. Federal laws, including the Young Offenders Act, prohibit identifying in the press anyone under the age of 18 who is involved in a criminal proceeding. This includes the accused, witnesses and victims, unless the victims have died.


I think publication bans in these cases are good to have because most of the time the media can go crazy and can involve harming someone or stocking them; they might even take matters in their own hands and hurt a person that is accused of a crime that is not yet proven in the court. Alot of the time it is paparazzi involded in making the story more than it is, by the stories and pictures they put up on magzines and news papers. I agree that there should be a limit in involving media in the courts for protection and privacy of people who maybe affected.