Why did war of the worlds challenge radios credibility? can it happen today? why or why not?

Question

i have looked everywhere and i cant find anything on it.

i also need to know how and why radio has survived for so long?

PLEASE HELP

Answer 1

the 'war of the worlds' radio broadcast didn't challenge radio's credibility as much as it showed how powerful mass media can be...

remember...in 1939, there were no television stations, no interweb...people's link to the world was through radio and newspapers...

the show's power came from startin' out as a simple night of live music from a nightclub and immediately went to news stories of the invasion and the inability to stop it...add in the factor that world war 2 was already goin' on in europe (although the united states had yet to become involved)...people at that time honestly thought that a real martian invasion was takin' place...

there were reports of people actually commitin' suicide because of the broadcast; and, in some areas, posses were formed and people were shootin' at water towers thinkin' they were aliens...

there was a made-for-tv movie back in the 70s called 'the night america that panicked america' that told the story pretty well...

could it happen today?...well, almost 10 years after the release of 'the blair witch project', there are still people who believe it is real...

as we used to say in radio, 'reality is perception'...

Answer 2

War of the Worlds wasn't announced as a "show".  People thought it was really happening and since radio was the only in home, immediate form of mass media, people had no way to find out what was going on until it was over.  When they got all hyped up only to find out it was fake, some people were bery angry.

It is unlikely it happen today because of all the multiple forms of media accessible today.  September 11th is a good example of that.  After it happened, EVERYBODY, including Mtv, covered what was going on.  If your news was reporting a monster walking down Main Street and the other 150,000 forms of news you can access immediatly isn't talking about it, it's fake.

Radio is the most portable and accessible forms of media and communication.  It's also an auditory-only form of media.  You can carry a protable radio around with you everywhere you go and listen to it 24/7.  Technology in areas like Japan now allow you to watch TV over you cell phones, but more visual forms of media require multiple senses to digest.  You can listen to TV, but it isn't the same because part of it requires you to see what is happening.

It is the best way to keep yourself plugged in everywhere and anywhere.  No other form of media allows you to do that.

Answer 3

radio has survived for so long becausoe it doesnt require your utmost attention, is free, mass marketed and gives the people what they want to hear, promotions and contests keep it alive also. about war of the worlds, it was also because when you turn on the radio your expect the news and when THE PRESIDENT is broadcasting something you generally think its important, not to mention you cant' see what's going on and many people turned on the radio in the middle of the broadcast.