Then and Now

Kirstin HeinleApril 29, 2009

FDR presidencyLeo Frank lynching

XX

War of the Worlds (radio broadcast)

• October 30, 1938• CBS radio network• Directed and narrated by Orson Welles• Adaptation of H.G. Wells’ War of the

Worlds• Depicted Martian invasion • 60 minute show

– Simulated news bulletin– No commercials

Plot summary

• “Ordinary show”• Meteorite lands in Grover’s Mill, New

Jersey• Crowd gathers• Carl Phillips (character) reports• Meteorite unscrews, Martian emerges

and “heat-rays” audience• Ends with radio operator asking “Is

anyone there??”

War of the Worlds (a clip)

Public reaction

• 6 million listeners • Most people only listened to

portion of show• Newspapers exaggerated issue

–Threatened by radio broadcasting• Concrete, Washington

–Power outage same time as broadcast–People thought world was ending

NYT headline following day

That was then…here is now

• "There is (now) a suspicion and a cynicism toward information that was not the case in 1938.”

--Robert Thompson, professor of media and culture,

Syracuse University

So much information!

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Let’s have some fun…

CONSPIRACY THEORY

But, of course..

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Leak report to AP

• KEY WORDS:• Desert• Life• Mysterious• Landing• Speculation• Investigation• Alien

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Media Frenzy

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• History of UFO’s• UFO sightings• Interview people

who have seen sightings

• Gov’t plans

TV News

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In the meantime…

Gov’t is tracking searchesIssuing anonymous surveys throughout

Internet

Blogosphere Delirium

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Social Networking before “the end”

Microblog Madness

After four years of coaching, the squirrel in my yard finally approached me. Now we’re all going to die. FML

After four years of coaching, the squirrel in my yard finally approached me. Now we’re all going to die. FML

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Follow-up dead ends

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We apologize for any confusion.

How do you get rid of a story?

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Ain’t America great?

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