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| Oscar Welles (left) and a newspaper article about the TheWar of World panic. |
Presented as a Halloween episode of the series The Mercury Theatre on Air on October 30 in 1938, The War of the Worlds was directed and narrated by Oscar Welles. It was actually an adaptation of H. G. Well's 1898 novel War of the Worlds. This radio drama made people go in panic and confusion, believing that there were Martians invading the Earth. There were two major factors that lead people believe that there was an alien invasion. The first one was that the beginning two thirds of the broadcast(which lasted about 60 minutes) was performed as it were a real radio program that reported current events. This news bulletin format lead people believe in its terrifying reports. Another factor that contributed to the horrified reaction was that The Mercury Theatre on Air was not interrupted by advertising breaks, since it was a sustaining show and did not have any commercial breaks. This contributed to the realism of the broadcast. There weren't any advertisement breaks that led people believe that it was just a program that used the news report format in an effective way. The format was so well planned and execute that came with undesired consequences and effects. Both of these factors, and the narration and story of course, resulted in outrage, fear and panic by many of the listeners, believing that it was actually real.
There are also some debates about other reasons for the panic reaction by many people. Many say that there was tension and stress before the World War 2, which made it more believable. Is also lead people to assuming that the news were real. Another reason found was that, since The Mercury Theatre on Air only presented the notices about the broadcast being fake at the beginning of the broadcast and after 40 and 50 minutes after starting. This was possible because The Mercury Theatre on Air is unsponsored and could place breaks whenever they wanted. In addition, War of the Worlds ( TheMercury Theatre on Air) started 3 minutes before the end of the popular NBC program Chase and Sanborn Hour. Since the audience began to change channels after the NBC program, most stumbled on a CBS broadcast about alien invasion. This drove people into confusion and panic, since most missed the warnings about the broadcast being fictional. There was also mentioned that the panic was not as exaggerated and widespread as the newspapers described at the time. In an era of yellow journalism and a competition agains the new media radio, they used this situation to draw attention to the newspapers, even f it meant not having enough information about the occasion.
Fortunately, Welles and The Mercury Theatre on Air did not receive punishment. Instead, it received censure, prohibited to use "We interrupt this program" for creating a dramatic and intense effect. Anyhow, many radio programs still used the erase and are still using it today. Interested and captivated by Welles' broadcast, Campell Soup Company began to sponsor the show. This resulted in The Mercury Theatre on Air to be renamed to The Campbell Playhouse.
Fortunately, Welles and The Mercury Theatre on Air did not receive punishment. Instead, it received censure, prohibited to use "We interrupt this program" for creating a dramatic and intense effect. Anyhow, many radio programs still used the erase and are still using it today. Interested and captivated by Welles' broadcast, Campell Soup Company began to sponsor the show. This resulted in The Mercury Theatre on Air to be renamed to The Campbell Playhouse.
^ This is the original broadcast. ^
^ Very interesting... ^
***
After listening to The War of the Worlds...
Well, like I said in the previous comment: WOW! The War of the Worlds was just so realistic and fascinating! First of all, Oscar Welles used a mysterious and deep voice that gave intensity to the narration, which was essential. He narrated what was happening (at the beginning and end of the broadcast) with such good descriptions, even using metaphors and personifications. There was an introduction at the beginning, in which Welles talks about the possibility of the existence of aliens on space. He is then interrupted by a fake weather report by the Government Weather Berau. After that, like in a normal music program, music of an orchestra is played. Throughout the first half of The War of the Worlds, this "music program" was constantly interrupted by fake bulletin news reports by the Intercontinental Radio. The first broadcast informed that there were several explosions seen at regular intervals on Mars, in an observatory. Then it returned to playing music. Other interruptions included interviews with the astronomer Dr. Pierson (I hope I wrote it right), confirmations of more explosions in Mars and more. The tables turn when, in an interruption, it is reported that a "flaming object" or "meteorite" fell on a Farm in New Jersey. The music is continued once again. Then a reporter is presented, seeing that what had fell wasn't a meteorite; instead, it was a huge yellowish white cylinder of diameter of 30 yards. It was executed perfectly, being truly realistic when planning the way the reporter talked, the background noise (for example, police alarms) and the shaking voice of the speaker. The reporter once describes the creatures coming out from the top of the cylinder as gray, snake-like, with tentacles, larger than bears and V shaped. The sudden change from the broadcast to the music program was very nerve-wrenching, adding more tension and suspense in the audience. This also made it sound more real. On one occasion, the listener knows the fear, confusion and tension of the reporter by his shaking, intermittent and unorganized voice. About a little more than half of The War of the Worlds, there was a complete news interruption, and music was not played after. Emergency reports were presented. In addition, there were parts in which the leader of the army was recorded, giving orders to the troops to attack the invaders. There were various different scenes like this one, but one that shocked me the most was when a soldier, driving a plane that would throw bombs at the aliens, was recorded. He mentions that the bombs were useless, and, when he was talking, the transmit ion was cut off. This suggested that the man had been killed due to the destruction of his plane. There are more reports about the army, like the fact that many soldiers were crushed, burned and killed. At one point, it is said that the whole army was wiped out. A man describes how more spaceships crash on Earth, watching as the invasion began. Then, suddenly, there is a break(a real one that is) at 38:10. Then, Oscar Welles describes himself as the last living man. He tells the listener that he was hiding in his house, far away from the black suffocating smoke emitted by the aliens. He feels better after finding a red squirrel and then another man. He said that there were many corpses of humans, cows and more. He wanted to find people. The other man suggested that they could live underground, on sewers, subways and tunnels, saying that they were safe places. Anyhow, in the end Welles described that life began to spread, wondering how he could see people the same way after the horrible experience. He mentions that there is a museum presenting parts of the huge cylinders. He ends The War of the Worlds by saying that there might be real aliens in space; also, he said that if someone found a strange creature at their door, that they remember that it is Halloween.
To be honest, the execution was just perfectly planned to be as real as possible. Welles truly succeeded with this broadcast. Well, we now know the reaction it caused on the listeners on 1938. I would have definitely believed it, like most people did back then. The War of the Worlds was entertaining and amazing.
***
Wow. Just reading about it gave me shivers! To be completely honest, taking in mind the circumstances and the way the broadcast was presented, I would have reacted in a similar manner. The combination of using the news bulletin format and the show not being interrupted would had lead me to believe it was a real report, especially the use of "We interrupt this program." Anyhow, I found it really interesting to know that such a powerful broadcast will cause so much impact on the listeners, leading them to call the police, flee their homes or/and just go in instant panic. I posted the original broadcast, but I still have not heard it. I will as soon as I finish another project I need to work on. Anyways, this more knowledge about the history of radio!
***
After listening to The War of the Worlds...
Well, like I said in the previous comment: WOW! The War of the Worlds was just so realistic and fascinating! First of all, Oscar Welles used a mysterious and deep voice that gave intensity to the narration, which was essential. He narrated what was happening (at the beginning and end of the broadcast) with such good descriptions, even using metaphors and personifications. There was an introduction at the beginning, in which Welles talks about the possibility of the existence of aliens on space. He is then interrupted by a fake weather report by the Government Weather Berau. After that, like in a normal music program, music of an orchestra is played. Throughout the first half of The War of the Worlds, this "music program" was constantly interrupted by fake bulletin news reports by the Intercontinental Radio. The first broadcast informed that there were several explosions seen at regular intervals on Mars, in an observatory. Then it returned to playing music. Other interruptions included interviews with the astronomer Dr. Pierson (I hope I wrote it right), confirmations of more explosions in Mars and more. The tables turn when, in an interruption, it is reported that a "flaming object" or "meteorite" fell on a Farm in New Jersey. The music is continued once again. Then a reporter is presented, seeing that what had fell wasn't a meteorite; instead, it was a huge yellowish white cylinder of diameter of 30 yards. It was executed perfectly, being truly realistic when planning the way the reporter talked, the background noise (for example, police alarms) and the shaking voice of the speaker. The reporter once describes the creatures coming out from the top of the cylinder as gray, snake-like, with tentacles, larger than bears and V shaped. The sudden change from the broadcast to the music program was very nerve-wrenching, adding more tension and suspense in the audience. This also made it sound more real. On one occasion, the listener knows the fear, confusion and tension of the reporter by his shaking, intermittent and unorganized voice. About a little more than half of The War of the Worlds, there was a complete news interruption, and music was not played after. Emergency reports were presented. In addition, there were parts in which the leader of the army was recorded, giving orders to the troops to attack the invaders. There were various different scenes like this one, but one that shocked me the most was when a soldier, driving a plane that would throw bombs at the aliens, was recorded. He mentions that the bombs were useless, and, when he was talking, the transmit ion was cut off. This suggested that the man had been killed due to the destruction of his plane. There are more reports about the army, like the fact that many soldiers were crushed, burned and killed. At one point, it is said that the whole army was wiped out. A man describes how more spaceships crash on Earth, watching as the invasion began. Then, suddenly, there is a break(a real one that is) at 38:10. Then, Oscar Welles describes himself as the last living man. He tells the listener that he was hiding in his house, far away from the black suffocating smoke emitted by the aliens. He feels better after finding a red squirrel and then another man. He said that there were many corpses of humans, cows and more. He wanted to find people. The other man suggested that they could live underground, on sewers, subways and tunnels, saying that they were safe places. Anyhow, in the end Welles described that life began to spread, wondering how he could see people the same way after the horrible experience. He mentions that there is a museum presenting parts of the huge cylinders. He ends The War of the Worlds by saying that there might be real aliens in space; also, he said that if someone found a strange creature at their door, that they remember that it is Halloween.
To be honest, the execution was just perfectly planned to be as real as possible. Welles truly succeeded with this broadcast. Well, we now know the reaction it caused on the listeners on 1938. I would have definitely believed it, like most people did back then. The War of the Worlds was entertaining and amazing.
Have a good day!
Sincerely,
Michelle
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