Thirty-second clips on the evening news may distort the importance of certain testimony. Television news tends to emphasize the unusual or dramatic moments of a trial. Viewers are, consequently, presented with a distorted view of a trial, which may undermine public confidence in the verdict. This, too, can undermine public confidence in the judicial system. The public has a right to know about the proceedings of its government.
Trials are news.
That is one of the reasons why people have a constitutional right to a public trial. The judge should control lawyers who play to the camera. Banning cameras suggests an inability to control one's courtroom. A judge can always require taping as opposed to live coverage. The state's Code of Civil Procedure requires a judge to disqualify himself or herself in certain situations involving relationships with parties and attorneys.