War of the Worlds
It is remembered for the broadcast and for the public's reaction. This can be seen as classic example of how media can spark mass hysteria and has been widely used in discussions about audience behaviour. This was because this was an early example of hysteria from an audience this big which was mentioned all over the news at that time.
2) When was it first broadcast and what is the popular myth regarding the reaction from the audience?
The first broadcast was on the 30th of October 1938. The popular myth about the reaction from audiences was that people fled their homes in panic because they believed that the things that the broadcast was real when in fact it was a narration from the story war of the worlds.
3) How did the New York Times report the reaction the next day?
The New York Times said, “Radio Listeners in Panic, Taking War Drama as Fact.”. New York times stated that everybody was fleeing their homes in panic.
4) How did author Brad Schwartz describe the broadcast and its reaction?
He described it as not "entirely a myth". He argues that "the stories of those whom the show frightened offer a fascinating window onto how users engage with media content"
The New York Times said, “Radio Listeners in Panic, Taking War Drama as Fact.”. New York times stated that everybody was fleeing their homes in panic.
4) How did author Brad Schwartz describe the broadcast and its reaction?
He described it as not "entirely a myth". He argues that "the stories of those whom the show frightened offer a fascinating window onto how users engage with media content"
5) Why did Orson Welles use hybrid genres and pastiche and what effect might it have had on the audience?
He used hybrid genres and pastiche to make the narrative feel more real and interesting and able to create a shock factor. This ended up leading to people taking the broadcast too seriously.
He used hybrid genres and pastiche to make the narrative feel more real and interesting and able to create a shock factor. This ended up leading to people taking the broadcast too seriously.
6) How did world events in 1938 affect the way audiences interpreted the show?
When Hitler signed the Munich Agreement this gave people concern about things and the show may have exaggerated these concerns
When Hitler signed the Munich Agreement this gave people concern about things and the show may have exaggerated these concerns
7) Which company broadcast War of the Worlds in 1938?
CBS was the company that broadcasted the war of the worlds.
8) Why might the newspaper industry have deliberately exaggerated the response to the broadcast?
They may have intentionally exaggerated in order to gain views and traction so that they can profit as much as they can out if this situation.
9) Does War of the Worlds provide evidence to support the Frankfurt School's Hypodermic Needle theory?
War of the worlds does have evidence to support hypodermic needle theory as the theory talk about a passive and active audience. In war of the worlds, we can see a passive audience at play considering they took whatever the narrator says as truth and they actually believed that they were in danger.
10) How might Gerbner's cultivation theory be applied to the broadcast?
cultivation theory can be used since it says that a lot of viewers of television are likely to believe media messages and think that they are real.
11) Applying Hall's Reception Theory, what could be the preferred and oppositional readings of the original broadcast?
A preferred reading of the original broadcast could be that the narrative feels like it could be real and is immersive and oppositional reading could be that this could be a concern for danger.
12) Do media products still retain the ability to fool audiences as it is suggested War of the Worlds did in 1938? Has the digital media landscape changed this?
Media products generally don't have this ability anymore. This is because we now have multiple sources to reference meaning the average person nowadays is less susceptible to be fooled.
Media Magazine article on War of the Worlds
Read this excellent article on War of the Worlds in Media Magazine. You can find it in our Media Magazine archive - issue 69, page 10. Answer the following questions:1) What reasons are provided for why the audience may have been scared by the broadcast in 1938?
some reasons that were provided were that people though it was real since the bulletins interrupted the narration which created the consciences that this was a real radio channel. Another reason why people may have been scares is due to the location as it has a reputation.
2) How did newspapers present the story?
The newspapers used this to present media and radio negatively and gave people the notion that the person behind this did this to scare people and had bad intentions.
3) How does the article describe the rise of radio?
The article describes the rise as instilling fear in other media types since radio was new at that time and could capture all aspects of newspaper and tv with the addition of music into one.
4) What does the article say about regulation of radio in the 1930s?
The article says that regulation was low at first considering it had just started gaining popularity. However, it started being heavily regulated when pirate radio was becoming more popular.
5) How does the article apply media theories to the WOTW? Give examples.
The article uses Bandura's social learning theory which talks about learning through seen experiences, cultivation theory which says that the media can have specific effects on the audiences and Stuart Hall's reception theory.
6) Look at the box on page 13 of real newspaper headlines. Pick out two and write them here - you could use these in an exam answer.
‘Radio Terror Brings Panic in All Areas; People Lose All Control’
‘Fake Radio War Stirs Terror’
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