War of the Worlds: Blog tasks

 Media Factsheet
Read Media Factsheet #176: CSP Radio - War of the Worlds. You'll need your Greenford Google login to download it. Then answer the following questions:

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

War of the worlds was broadcasted at a time of worldwide tension where people feared feared war and invasion by the Germans. This meant the radio was already incorporating news breaks in between entertainment so when war of the worlds came out people were used to it. War of the worlds was an adaptation of a story about an alien invasion in the style of a radio show.

2) When was it first broadcast and what is the popular myth regarding the reaction from the audience?

First broadcasted in October 1938, the day before Halloween. The most common myth was that there was hysteria in the streets and the public believed the story entirely but it was confirmed the streets were in fact empty that night.

3) How did the New York Times report the reaction the next day?

“Radio listeners in Panic, taking war drama as fact.

4) How did author Brad Schwartz describe the the broadcast and its reaction?

He described it as being the first viral media phenomenon and being decades ahead of its time.

5) Why did Orson Welles use hybrid genres and pastiche and what effect might it have had on the audience?

I believe he used these to create a sense of authenticity and make the story more exciting. 

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

This happened at the time that people feared invasion/war with Hitler and there were real news breaks in the radio so people believed the show as they were used to hearing news interruptions due to recent events. 

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

CBS radio

8) Why might the newspaper industry have deliberately exaggerated the response to the broadcast?

Newspapers and Radio were in competition as the 2 main forms of media at the time so they wanted to make their competitors look less reliable.

9) Does War of the Worlds provide evidence to support the Frankfurt School's Hypodermic Needle theory?

I believe it does support it as it shows the audience being passive and having information “injected” into their minds from a media product. 

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

Audiences were used to hearing news bulletins so it made them normal to them and they didn’t doubt the false information. 

11) Applying Hall's Reception Theory, what could be the preferred and oppositional readings of the original broadcast?

Preferred: Enjoyable halloween drama

Oppositional: dangerous misinformation/fake news 

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?

I believe that media is still capable of fooling the audience but in the modern day it’s done differently to how it was at the time War of the Worlds was broadcasted. At the time people were deceived using opinion leaders and propaganda but in the modern day people are fooled through the use of deepfakes and AI.

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? 

Many people started listening after the warning which means they weren’t told it was a fictional broadcast. The context meant that people were in fear already due to context and people trusting radio as a form of news meant it caused panic amongst people. 

2) How did newspapers present the story? 

Newspapers presented the story as the broadcast causing mad chaos and they used this to undermine radio and its credibility. 

3) How does the article describe the rise of radio? 

The article describes the rise of radio as being more affordable, more accessible and as being a household essential.

4) What does the article say about regulation of radio in the 1930s? 

Radio was not yet fully regulated at the time which caused concerns.

5) How does the article apply media theories to the WOTW? Give examples.

The article applies Banduras effect theory as it shows how media directly affects audiences behaviour. 

Gerbner - repeated exposure meant that people accepted the show as reality 

Reception theory - People interpret media differently due to their backgrounds, some accepted it as reality whereas some questioned it.

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 fake scares nation

Fake radio war stirs terror