Radio: War of the Worlds (1938)

War of the Worlds: Blog tasks

Media Factsheet

Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet #176: CSP Radio - War of the Worlds. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets - you'll need to save the factsheet to USB or email it to yourself in order to complete this at home. Read the factsheet and answer the following questions:

1) What is the history and narrative behind War of the Worlds?   

The narrative behind War of the worlds is alien invasions which was first broadcast 

2) When was it first broadcast and what is the popular myth regarding the reaction from the audience?
It was first broadcast on the 30th October 1938 

  

3) How did the New York Times report the reaction the next day?
MANY FLEE HOMES TO ESCAPE ‘GAS RAID FROM MARS’ – PHONE CALLS SWAMP POLICE AT BROADCAST OF WELLES FANTASY they report the hoax as a real life issue.  

4) How did author Brad Schwartz describe the the broadcast and its reaction?
War of the Worlds and the Art of Fake News’ suggests that hysteria it caused was not entirely a myth. “Instead it was something decades ahead of its time: history’s first viral-media phenomenon.”  

5) Why did Orson Welles use hybrid genres and pastiche and what effect might it have had on the audience?
By creating a hybrid form – mixing conventional storytelling with news conventions – Welles blurred the boundaries between fact and fiction in a way that audiences had never experienced. 

6) How did world events in 1938 affect the way audiences interpreted the show? 

Booked radio reports were hindered with crisis cut-ins, about Hitler and his arrangements to attack and begin the following scene war.  

7) Which company broadcast War of the Worlds in 1938?

CBS
 

8) Why might the newspaper industry have deliberately exaggerated the response to the broadcast?
Papers were under risk as radio turned into another contender as they were new so along these lines they misrepresented the reaction to the communicate trying to make a frenzy encompassing the effect of the radio business.

9) Does War of the Worlds provide evidence to support the Frankfurt School's Hypodermic Needle theory?
War of the Worlds does provide evidence to support the Frankfurt School's Hypodermic needle theory to some extent because the audiences clearly believed what the media had told them and reacted according to this. 

10) How might Gerbner's cultivation theory be applied to the broadcast?

Gerbner's cultivation theory in response to the broadcast emphasizes the long term effects the media has upon the audience and the broadcast plays a big factor.Cultivation theory states that high frequency viewers of television are more susceptible to media messages and the belief that they are real.
 

11) Applying Hall's Reception Theory, what could be the preferred and oppositional readings of the original broadcast?
The dominant or preferred reading by the audience is the one intended by the creator of the text. However, a person might read it in an oppositional way depending upon factors such as their age, gender or background.  The preferred reading was for it to just be hoax to prank their audience as a joke for Halloween.

 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?
IN the war of the worlds, There wasn't that many media platforms therefore, the media did not have that big of an affect on people in contrast to now. Before, the audience were confused what was right or true whereas now, people create ideologies through the use of the media.

Analysis and opinion

1) Why do you think the 1938 broadcast of War of the Worlds has become such a significant moment in media history?

In the 1938, it created confusion amongst the audience as they were not sure what was true or false, however, some people believed what the news showed whereas other people had mix feelings.
 
2) War of the Worlds feels like a 1938 version of 'fake news'. But which is the greater example of fake news - Orson Welles's use of radio conventions to create realism or the newspapers exaggerating the audience reaction to discredit radio?
Some news were over exaggerated which gave it away that it was fake news.

3) Do you agree with the Frankfurt School's Hypodermic Needle theory? If not, was there a point in history audiences were more susceptible to believing anything they saw or heard in the media? 

I agree with the Frankfurt School's Hypodermic Needle Theory as it gives a better insight why people are manipulated by the news.

4) Has the digital media age made the Hypodermic Needle model more or less relevant? Why?
In the digital media age, media platforms have become very subjective therefore, which makes the hypodermic needle model less relevant as there are many media platforms which the audience could interpret and find whats right or wrong.

5) Do you agree with George Gerbner's Cultivation theory - that suggests exposure to the media has a gradual but significant effect on audience's views and beliefs? Give examples to support your argument.
I believe Gerbner's Cultivation theory gives explanation to the exposure of the media as people are manipulated due to high frequency of the media or television.

6) Is Gerbner's Cultivation theory more or less valid today than it would have been in 1938? Why?
 I believe its more valid as there are more access to digital devices which reinforces the high frequency of people watching or using the digital devices.