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Don't roll your eyes if you've heard this one before, but real court dramas are not actually like what we see on TV. They never conclude in a hour for example, or even two. And the dramatic outbursts are rare compared to the tedious courtroom conventions over things such as how evidence will be labelled. That doesn't mean actual court cases can't be really dramatic, or play out on television, at least from some parts of the United States. (You might have noticed Canadian courtrooms do not include television cameras.)

Any journalist who has covered court has witnessed just how bogged down the system can get. Like most things in the world of reporting, there are hours of tedium accented by bursts of high drama. The trick is to remain focused the entire time so as not to miss the important parts. Some of us have been in courtrooms where the judge actually repremands a reporter for falling asleep. Others among us have been reprimanded. If the reporter is any good, the tedious parts will be cast aside and the resulting story will be compelling for the reader.

In some instances, court cases are gripping from beginning to end. The recent case of killer Russell Williams is an example. The former Canadian military commander pleaded guilty to two killings and several sexual assaults. Evidence was read into court and each window into his depraved behaviour was more compelling than the last. In what could become a new standard in Canadian courtrooms, at least if a suspect pleaded guilty, reporters were allowed to send instant text messages of the proceedings from that courtroom, onto live blogs and Twitter. The public could follow as events unfolded.

Right now there are several high-profile court cases in the news, with the pinnacle being that of Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the drug death of the pop star. Thanks to laws in California, that is one of the trials that can be viewed live on television. Even through the tedious bits of legal back and forth, it's compelling and terribly sad. The public is hearing audio of a drug-addled Jackson talking about his upcoming tour, seeing photos of the deceased star and hearing testimony of his personal staff. MSN.ca is streaming the trial, which starts around noon Eastern time, every day. This link will take you there daily.

Canadian courtrooms are not quite as open as some of those in the U.S., so the stories of the high-profile cases playing out in this country right now will have to be told by reporters.

In one case, several members of a Montreal family face first-degree murder charges in the drowning deaths of three sisters and their mother. Their bodies were found in the Rideau Canal near Kingston, Ont., about two years ago. Mohammad Shafia, his wife Tooba Mohammad Yehya and their son Hamid Mohammad Shafia, 20, are accused of killing the couple's three daughters and Mohammad Shafia's first wife. The case is expected to take months and will be especially complicated as it will have to be translated from English to Dari — an Afghan dialect of Persian — and back, so that two of the accused can understand the proceedings.

In Calgary, the case of Dustin Paxton, a Prairie man charged with sexual assault, unlawful confinement and aggravated assault is underway. A publication ban prohibits naming the alleged sexual assault victim and other witnesses that could lead to identifying him.

This leads us to another point in the world of courtroom dramas. You may have noticed that court television and news channel chatter about court cases on U.S. networks is not the same as that in Canada. After the first day of Conrad Murray's trial for example, talking heads gathered on various U.S. networks to discuss his guilt or innocence. Contempt and libel laws in Canada keep pundits from chattering about such subjects in Canadian media, whether on major networks, in blogs or in public comments on stories published on news websites.

A person is considered innocent until proven otherwise in court and anyone who prejudices that can face charges. That should be something worth considering.

Christine Diemert

The word is contentious. One person’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter. Post
9-11, the word has become even more contentious as it is readily linked with
Islamic extremists. As The Folo explored in another post, some people assume
that a Muslim is behind every act of terror – guilty until proven innocent.

So when the MSN News team sat down to write about some of the worst terror
attacks that have struck the modern world, what exactly defined a terror attack
became a point of contention too.

Check out the eight attacks we named as the worst and then weigh in. What do you think of
our picks? How would you define a terrorist attack? And what makes one worse
than another?

Corina Milic

In the hours after a bomb exploded near government headquarters in Oslo, Norway, followed by a shooter opening fire on youth at an island camp beyond the city, the media didn’t speculate on who was responsible.

Most of the major networks and national newspapers, as well as the experts they invited to make sense of the chaos, thought they knew who had done it: Terrorists.

And in that, the largely unquestioned assumption that it must be Islamist terrorists.

Minutes after news of the explosion made headlines, journalists suggested the attacks may have been related to Prophet Mohammed cartoons that had stirred such controversy several years ago, and had been republished in a major Norwegian newspaper last year

About an hour after the bombing, and an hour before the shooting began, assistant comment editor and deputy blog editor of U.K. newspaper, The Telegraph, Will Haven, posed the question: Is al-Qaeda behind this?

Arguments, such as those Haven made, concerning Norwegian troops in Afghanistan or the Prophet Mohammed cartoons might have been valid, if there had been any indication whatsoever that Muslims were behind the bombing – any indication besides, of course, the Western world’s post 9-11 gut feeling that terrorism and Islam are two sides of the same coin.

Over three hours after the first bomb exploded Norwegian police arrested a suspect on the island of Utoeya. Then the first descriptions of the shooter began to trickle in: A tall, blonde “Norwegian-looking’ man dressed up as a police officer.

9-11. Two numbers that represent that devastating day 10 years ago when 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, spectacularly crashing two into the twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center and another into the Pentagon. The fourth, also headed toward Washington, crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania after passengers intervened. Nearly 3,000 people died.
Since that day, the religion of Islam has been inexorably married to extremist ideals.

That relationship, one largely created and nurtured in North Americans’ minds and conclusion-jumping, if nowhere else, has come to define many Muslims in Canada and the United States.

Citizens who hold their breath whenever a terrorist attack, like Norway’s, happens. Because they know that many people will have a knee-jerk reaction despite the evidence –or lack thereof. Islam extremists did this.

The day after the Norway attack, a Los Angeles Times headline read, “Muslims feel sting of initial blame”.

“Within the Muslim community there was a sigh of relief that it wasn’t someone connected with their religion, but also a sting at being initially scapegoated,” reads the article.

What do you think of the word terrorism, post 9-11? Is it fair that the word is so tied to al-Qaeda and other Islamic extremists?

MSN News is also looking for Canadians to share their experiences as Muslims, or perceived Muslims, since 9-11, for an anniversary feature this September. Contact us at news.msn.ca@live.com if you are interested in contributing.

Corina Milic

Somali-Canadian rapper K’naan called on members of the media on Tuesday afternoon to step up reporting of the famine that has a stranglehold on Somalia.

The United Nations estimates that more than 11 million East Africans are affected by a drought that has become a famine in Somalia, where 3.7 million are among the worst hit thanks to ongoing civil war. Aid organizations trying to help Somalis in and out of giant refugee camps face bans and/or looting from militant groups.

K’naan held a press conference with fellow musician and activist Bono of U2, Tuesday. In an interview afterward, K’naan told CBC that “the media first and foremost has to draw attention to this cause because Canadians don’t know this is happening."

When news first broke the other week that the UN was going to give the crisis in East Africa official ‘famine’ status, the first such move in over 20 years, a Canadian friend with Somali parents posted
a question on Facebook: Why do you think no one cares about this?

On MSN, it has become clear this isn’t a story that strikes a chord with most of our users. Given a choice between ‘how to stay cool in a heat wave’ or learning more about ‘tens of thousands killed
by Somalia famine’ on the homepage last week, users chose the heat wave. Both news headlines were given roughly equal play, running near each other as text links, but the heat wave generated more interest.

So, The Folo will pose this same question: Why don’t you care about the Somali famine? Or, if you’d rather, why don’t you care about it as much as other news?

Do MSN and other news agencies have a responsibility to prominently run this story, even if there is a lack of interest in it, or is that pushing an agenda on users who are more than capable of choosing for themselves what is important?

Corina Milic

It's already being called "the social media trial of the century."

And though there's still a lot of century to go, it's undeniable that Casey Anthony's recent murder trial has captured the American imagination. With tense minute-to-minute updates playing out on American cable news, the case reached a level of publicity not seen since O.J. Simpson ruled the airwaves.

Bing: Who is Casey Anthony?

Anthony, a 25-year-old mother from Florida, was accused of murdering her two-year-old daughter Caylee and then lying to police about her daughter's disappearance. This week, a jury found her not guilty of the first count and guilty of the second. Anthony was sentenced to four years in prison, but will be released July 17 because of time served and good behaviour.

The jury stated there wasn't enough evidence to convict Anthony beyond a reasonable doubt, but the decision didn't quell the court of public opinion.

Public backlash erupted on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter as people reacted emotionally to the verdict.

Anthony had been villified for failing to report her daughter's disappearance to police for several weeks and also for getting a tattoo and partying with friends in the meantime.

Anthony's lawyer blamed the media for judging his client and for stoking negative public perception.

Commentary in the social media sphere judged her largely based on circumstantial evidence and speculation. The jury showed this week that it could not be so easily swayed.

Up next for Anthony is a possible memoir where she tells her side of the story, and rumours are already brimming about a movie adaptation of her life, with Twilight star Kristin Stewart playing the lead.

What do you think about the case?

Does social media influence your views more than traditional media?

Chris Mitchell

 
For journalists, covering Britain's royal family is an experience like no other. In the image above, these photographers are set in place for the royal wedding in London. But it will be especially challenging for the press when William and Catherine visit Canada this week because they are the rock stars of royalty, making their first trip abroad together. Their activity won't be as set as the wedding this time. 

First, not every reporter interested in covering the tour will make the cut. Applications have been made through the Governor General's office in Canada and part of the screening includes a check by the RCMP. Once the okay has been granted, there are badges and a special booklet from the royal protocol office that outlines exactly where the press can stand at each venue and specifically, right down to the second, how long the pair will be available for photos.  

Imagine the couple arrives somewhere for a luncheon. They walk for all of about three minutes, maybe five, from the car to the door of the building all the while surrounded by throngs of people, and hundreds of members of the media roped off in one area. Photographers will shout 'miss', or 'Kate' or whatever they can to get Catherine's attention, just so she might look for a few important seconds their way. The minute the door closes on that scene, the photo crews pick themselves up and run to the next official roped off area. And they really run, carrying cameras, ladders, whatever they need. Slackers need not apply for this position.

These days, with the just-in-time information made a requirement by online media, the challenge to get images, video and stories online super fast will be especially important for journalists. '

MSN.ca will be no different, relying on partners such as Canadian Press, Reuters, CBC, BBC and MSNBC to keep the content coming, so it can be posted and updated as quickly as possible for readers. We'll also blog live during the Canada Day event so everyone has a chance to comment and participate. It should be quite a party.  

Christine Diemert

As disappointed fans poured out of GM Place after the Vancouver Canucks lost the Stanley Cup to the Boston Bruins, the frustration felt on the ice seemed to pour out onto the street with them.

That frustration quickly turned violent as rioters set cars on fire, smashed businesses’ windows in and looted the contents inside.

Media initially reported that hockey fans were to blame for this chaos. But at least one Canucks fan took umbrage to the distinction. In tears, the fan told CBC cameras that this was not the work of hockey fans, but hooligans looking to capitalize on chaos.

And yet, photos of the riot coming out this morning show an awful lot of blue jerseys in the crowd.

What do you think of the riots? Has the media portrayed them fairly?

Corina Milic

The White House has decided not to release the controversial death photo of Osama bin Laden.

U.S. President Barack Obama is reportedly concerned the graphic image could become an iconic rallying point and propaganda tool for terrorists. Not everyone agrees with the restrained, sombre approach.

Some critics say without photographic evidence, it will remain unclear whether or not bin Laden really was killed by U.S. forces. Obama’s own CIA Director Leon Panetta says the administration knows it will eventually have to reveal the photo as proof of bin Laden’s death.

That is, if it isn’t leaked to the media first.

If news organizations do get their hands on the photo, they will be faced with an ethical question: Should they publish it?

Obama has said the photo would prove a national security risk.

Should American journalists take that in to consideration – should Canadian reporters take that in to consideration? Or do citizens have a right to see for themselves that the world’s best known terrorist is dead? (Come to that, would a photo, however graphic, be enough proof?)

Update: Hours after writing this blog post, Reuters has released photos the organization obtained of men killed at the compound where Osama bin Laden was living - but not pictures of bin Laden himself. Note that link to article does not show actual photos.

Corina Milic

What started as a pretty boring election campaign has turned into a compelling drama. The conclusion, of course, is Monday when the majority of Canadians who vote (sadly, not a majority of Canadians) will cast ballots that most expect will dramatically reshape the country's political landscape.

The drama comes with the surge in support for the NDP, particularly its leader Jack Layton. It started in Quebec and from all accounts seems to be shifting across the country. Evidence of that is coming from polls, which seem to be taking a more front-line role with the media in this election. It will be up to the pundits to pick over the entrails of the campaign, including the reporting about it, and decide whether polling took front-line coverage because there was nothing else for reporters to focus on, or because the numbers began to take such dramatic twists. Then there's the opinion that too much reporting on the polls caused the shift in the first place because people following media coverage got caught up in the momentum described by the polls.

The good news if you are sick of polls, is that the Canada Elections Act puts restrictions on what can be reported on election days and thus, there won't be any stories published or broadcast that include new polling information on Monday. The act also restricts reporting results from any electoral districts where polls have closed while voting is still going on in other parts of the country. So it won't be until 10 p.m. Eastern Time that election results can be reported across Canada.

Beginning at 10 p.m., MSN.ca will carry live results as they come in and run a live blog where readers can discuss the results with MSN news staff and blogger Jeff Hale, who has written about the campaign every day since the writ was dropped. We'll also have the latest news stories, video and photos of the big winners and losers.

It should prove to be an exciting evening.

Christine Diemert

Harper, Duceppe, Ignatieff and Layton faced off for a second night in a row, Wednesday. The party leaders seemed more spirited sparring in French than they did at yesterday's English debates, according to newswatchers polled immediately after the match.

Who do you think won round two of the election debates? Did anyone redeem themselves after a poor performance last night? Sound off below.

Corina Milic