From its first day, impressions of the trial varied widely—from dramatic catharsis to the tedium of an actual trial in real time. This section examines the role of popular perception, elite narrative, and media in the trial. What role did media play in crafting perceptions? How did the parties use or abuse public aspects of the trial? Did events in the courtroom shape attitudes in the former conflict zone, and were courtroom strategies themselves affected by perceptions in the former Yugoslavia? The section focuses particularly on reactions and attitudes in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Croatia—among the victim populations—as well as among the corps of international journalists covering the trial.