Facts:
War of the Worlds is a drama, and it uses the codes and conventions of a news broadcast in order to make a made up explosion and invasion of aliens seem like a real world issue and crisis.
‘War Of The Worlds’ was a live broadcast which broadcasted on Columbia broadcasting systems (CBS) on October 30th 1938 8-9pm
Arguments
it was presented within the format of normal evening of radio programming – Can leave to confusion
There appears to be a routine report from the “Government Weather Bureau” about a “slight atmospheric disturbance” along the east coast of America. He presents the information in a way which would be believable at first listening, but when you start to really think about it and do research, you realise its not true. We are then “entertained by the music of Ramón Raquello and his orchestra”, another fictional character, who are playing a tango from the Park Plaza Hotel. Even the “special bulletin from the Intercontinental Radio News”, which interrupts the music, met the expectations of the contemporary audience.
the writers were warned against using the original names by the legal department at Columbia Broadcasting Company because they were worried about the threat of litigation. These changes are very subtle so most listeners would not be able to spot the difference. This blurring of boundaries between fact and fiction could be one of the reasons why members of audience believed aliens were attempting to destroy the human race.
Theorists:
The hypodermic needle theory suggests a media text can have a powerful and immediate effect on the passive audience. It would seem “The War of the Worlds” production supports this argument because so many terrified listeners, for example, “rushed out of their houses” to escape the “gas raid”.
Essay Questions:
- Explain how Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds broadcast used the codes and conventions of radio to convince the audience Martians were invading New York.
- How do the cultural and historical circumstances affect the audience’s interpretation of media texts? Refer to the Close Study Product War of the Worlds in your answer.
- Discuss how and why audiences might respond to and interpret media texts differently depending on the social context they are consumed. Refer to the Close Study Product War of the Worlds in your answer.
- “There is no doubt the media has a profound influence on the audience’s thoughts and behaviour.” To what extent does your analysis of the Close Study Product War of the Worlds support this view?
Uses news bulletins to make viewers believe its real (Mention time)
1. Talk about history and what people were like at time of creation and social contexts.
2. Reference the pay
3. Theorists
4. Talk about audiences and how they react to the news station