Radio: War of the Worlds (1938)

Radio: War of the Worlds (1938)

Our second CSP for radio is the 1938 CBS broadcast of War of the Worlds.

This is a famous broadcast of Orson Welles's radio play - an adaptation of HG Wells's science-fiction novel of the same name. It is a text of historical significance due to a long-running debate over the effect the broadcast had over audiences at the time.

Narrative and background

War of the Worlds, a science-fiction novel by author HG Wells, was first published in 1898. It is a story of alien invasion and war between mankind and an extra-terrestrial race from Mars.

The original 1938 Orson Welles broadcast is available here:

Hybrid genre

Orson Welles was initially reluctant to adapt War of the Worlds, describing it as 'boring'. He was persuaded by the prospect of using recent developments in radio news reporting to create a hybrid-form radio play designed to sound like a real breaking news story. The broadcast begins with a music performance that is increasingly interrupted by breaking news of martians invading New Jersey.


Historical context

In 1938, the world was on edge as Germany mobilised to invade Europe and populations feared gas attacks from another world war. In the weeks leading up to the 1938 broadcast, American radio stations had increasingly cut into scheduled programming to bring news updates from Europe on the chances of war. This meant Welles's use of radio news conventions had more of an impact on listeners who were unaware that it was a fictional radio play.

Media effects theories

The War of the Worlds radio play has become a much-studied text with regards to media effects theories. The initial reported reaction from audiences provided evidence for the Frankfurt School's Hypodermic Needle theory - that suggests people believe whatever they see or hear in the media. However, later studies suggest the audience reaction was exaggerated by the newspaper industry (under threat from radio at the time) and that audiences are more sophisticated consumers of media than first thought.

You can also apply Gerbner's Cultivation Theory, the two-step flow model and Stuart Hall's Reception Theory to Orson Welles's War of the Worlds broadcast.

Radiolab podcast on War of the Worlds

The American podcast Radiolab looked back on the significance of the 1938 broadcast of War of the Worlds and later attempts to recreate the effect. It's a brilliant summary of the context and reaction from the audience alongside clips from the broadcast and transcripts from interviews at the time.

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 War of the Worlds radio play (1938) is adapted from the original War of the Worlds novel by H.G Wells (published in 1898). It is about an alien invasion and the ensuing conflict between mankind and an extraterrestrial race from Mars. 

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

War of the Worlds was first broadcast on 30th October 1938. Popular myth has it that thousands of New Yorkers fled their homes in panic, and all across America people crowded the streets to witness for themselves the real space battle between earth and the Martians.

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

The New York Times reported the reaction as “Radio Listeners in Panic, Taking War Drama as Fact.” The radio broadcast has also been described as being “too realistic and frightening.

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

Brad Schwartz suggests that “the stories of those whom the show frightenedoffer a fascinating window onto how users engage with media content, spreading and reinterpreting it to suit their own world views.

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

By borrowing the conventions of the radio newscast (pastiche), he is able to create real moments of shock and awe, which almost certainly account for the strong reaction it received.

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

one month prior to the plays broadcast, Hitler signed the Munich Agreement. Europe’s failed appeasement of Germany was looked upon with high concern and for many, it looked as if another world war was was on the brink of happening. one month prior to the plays broadcast, Hitler signed the Munich Agreement. Europe’s failed appeasement of Germany was looked upon with high concern and for many, it looked as if another world war was was on the brink of happening. 

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?

the broadcast was not a hoax sprung on an unsuspecting audience. Rather it was a scheduled broadcast and was announced as "an episode of Mercury Theatre on Air." however through the way it portrayed in the nedia reactions seemed worse than than it realy was

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

Yes, " it is important to understand how how the press maginified and distorted those reactions, creating a story that terrified the nation all over again, so that we can recognise when the same thing happens today."

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?

it showed how the media's portrayal of events can seriously shape the way people portray events
 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?
the newspapers exaggerating the reaction was more fake news as they deliberately did it to affect their audience.

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 to some extent as at the time there was less media outlets than their is now making it easier for the audience to be manipulated.