It even takes money to operate the execution itself. Another downside is that it encourages violence. It reinforces the idea that violence can solve problems. Society will be more likely to have hostile tendencies and commit violent acts. It also does not deter criminals as suggested studies show. This is because most murders are spontaneous and reacting on emotion. With few seconds of reaction time and the high emotions, criminals are less likely to think of the consequences of their actions. .
This brings us to our second question. Should executions be televised and what affects will it have on society? Court TV and other cable television networks in recent years have brought live coverage of criminal court cases into homes across the nations. The next logical step, some lawyers and media executives say, is TV coverage of executions. Millions of parents across the nation and the world are very keen and concerned about what their children watch on television. Many organizations like the Center for Media Education (CME) have protested and lobbied to reduce the level of sex and violence on television for the sake of their children. Not only are the parents concerned for their children, others are concerned for the privacy of inmates and victims family and friends.
San Francisco's KQED-TV, a public television station, made news several years ago by seeking permission to videotape the execution of murderer Robert Alton Harris at San Quentin prison. KQED proposed showing the unedited videotape late at night to minimize the possibility it would be seen by children and a brief description of the program's content to alert unwary viewers. .
Several lawsuits have been filed to publicly broadcast executions. The most famous lawsuit involved former talk show host Phil Donahue. This case is Lawson v. Dixon, 1994. Lawson wished to have his execution televised on the Phil Donahue Show, Mr. Donahue was also a plaintiff in this case.