Recently, the legal battle over President Donald Trump’s proposed immigration ban became a viral hit thanks to the 9th Circuit Court’s decision to share its proceedings on its YouTube channel. Based on that phenomenon, as well as the general popularity of the “true crime” genre, a notable legal correspondent thinks it’s time for the court world to get its own online video network. Dan Abrams, who has experience at ABC, NBC, and Court TV, plans to launch a digital destination for trial live streams and coverage.
The platform will be an expansion of Abrams’ LawNewz, which currently offers live streams of notable trials. Beyond court footage, the new LawNewz network will also offer studio analysis from a team of legal correspondents, columnists, and attorneys, with coverage initially expected to run between the hours of 9 AM and 5 PM.
Abrams, who has hosted ABC’s Nightline and also founded the publication Mediaite, wants to use his experience at Court TV (which is now known as TruTV and no longer features a legal focus) and apply it to a digital destination that appeals to a niche community. Court TV was rebranded due to waning interest in trial coverage, but a recent surge in true crime content, led by podcasts like Serial and TV shows like Making A Murderer, has captivated viewers. “We have been seeing a real interest in trial streams,” said Abrams. “I’m amazed we will be first to do this to some degree.”
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Not all courts allow video cameras, but LawNewz has already lined up a few intriguing cases for its upcoming coverage. It will analyze the rape and assault trial of MMA fighter War Machine on February 27th and will follow that up with a look at the latest murder trial for former NFL star Aaron Hernandez on March 1st.
