Question

The power of radio as a medium of mass communication was demonstrated in 1938 when Orson Welles put on a dramatization of

A) Hamlet.
B) the assassination of Franklin Roosevelt.
C) War of the Worlds.
D) 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
E) Homer’s Odyssey.

Answer 1

Orson Welles' 1938 radio dramatization of 'War of the Worlds' demonstrated the significant influence of radio as a communication medium, leading to public panic as people mistook the fictional broadcast for real news of a Martian invasion.

Step-by-step explanation:

The power of radio as a medium of mass communication was indeed showcased in 1938 when Orson Welles and the Mercury Theater of the Air performed a radio dramatization of War of the Worlds. This event, broadcast as a series of radio news reports, led to widespread panic among listeners who believed an actual alien invasion by Martians was taking place in New Jersey. The dramatization highlighted the influence of radio as a tool for mass communication and its potential for causing real-world effects based on fictional broadcasts. In the 1930s, radio had become a dominant force in the dissemination of both entertainment and news, and the War of the Worlds incident remains one of the most notable examples of its impact on society.