Blog 4:

It was the 1930’s and at the time radio was one of many forms of entertainment. People would look to this form of entertainment to provide news, music, even stories which were read out loud over the air waves. One of the most known stories was that of H. G. Wells – War of The Worlds. A story of science fiction dealing with an alien invasion destine upon earth. At the time this was merely just a story, no truth to it what so ever. However in the 1930’s an event took place which took this work of science fiction and turned it into a work of true non-fiction. On October 30, 1938 this fiction based story was told across the radio airwaves. Normally anyone would think this was just another story and nothing more to it, but there was a serious problem within this broadcast in particular. At the time Orson Welles was the narrator for the Colombia Broadcasting station. The dramatic story was broken down into two sixty minute segments, with news bulletins in between. An alien invasion was upon earth, this was the illusion they wanted to present to its listener’s. Now for the listener’s whom were tuned in from the very beginning they had already known that this was only just another work of fiction and that no truth should be placed on it, but what about the ones that tuned into the broadcast late? Well here is where it became interesting, the broadcast was in progress and for those people whom tuned in late this wasn’t just another work of fiction to them this was the news. It was real aliens were on earth and the battle for mankind was unfolding in their minds. This alien invasion began to cause a bit of wide spread panic, as Orson continue to tell the story people began to worry even more than before. A panic ensued into hysteria the new bulletins assured the people that this was indeed their reality. People believed it so much that there were stories about people taking their own lives, others going insane and some having heart attacks from all the hysteria. As the broadcast continued so began the phone calls, News broadcasting stations, police and government agency all received calls from listeners that felt this was indeed going on, they asked for support, how they should began to evacuate where was it safe to go. The pandemonium escalated, the illusion was so real to the listeners that they went to extreme lengths to protect themselves. Day’s after the events people were told that it wasn’t in fact a true alien invasion but that it was just a fictionally story. The mood amongst them changed significantly, it went from fear and wide spread panic to anger and wide spread outrage. To them a media source which they came to trust and allow in their homes on a more intimate level, betrayed and lied to them. This just goes to show that people need to treat the media like a grain of sand. Don’t believe all the media tells you cause in the end what you think may be real might in fact just be another work of fiction.

Source of information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Worlds_%28radio_drama%29