Industry of wotw
- regulation
- cbs
- moral panics
- regulation criticisms
-Curran and senator
What is the regulation - fcc
Federal communications commission - responsible for the honest and truthful output of the media
What is cbs?
- they stated that censorship wasn’t needed because many people hadn’t see it or aired in
- plus there were warnings at the start and half way through
What were the moral panics
- the unreliability of the radio were propagated by the competitions - the newspapers of the time
What is the regulation criticisms
They can be seen as if they were having agendas and can not regulate newer technologies and they have freedom of speech
What did Curran and seaton say about it
That the mass influence by the large corporations on audiences: cbs lacked completion st the time so monopolised market for radio listeners
What were the target audience of wotw
- late 1930s
- American patriots
- parents
Both genders - radio listeners
- Great Depression era
- fans of dram genre
- passive
- mainstreamers
- Christian society
Production context?
- radio was a relatively new technology - first source of home entertainment
- tv wasn’t invented until later
- hybrid form
- based on a British novel
- Halloween prank
What is the social and cultural influences
- trusting audience
- north Merida suffering Great Depression
- cbs used regular drama scheduled slot
- peoples fears of invasion and extra terrestrial life played upon
- radio welcomed escape and form of entertainment
What is the historical and political influence of wotw
- USA brink of World War Two
- radio competitors to newspaper - econimic agender
- mass hysteria claimed by papers exaggerated
- crash of German hindenberg broadcasted year previously
theories
how does rgulation theory realte to wotw
- regulated by the fcc
- had an investigation after it - was foudn out nothing was wrong - because wells gave warnings and peopel didnt listen
when was wotf created
1938
october prank
who aired it
orsen wells - it is a radio adaptation of wotf novel
why was there mass hysteria
- becuase at the time tey were on the brink of ww3 - poeple thought they were being attacked
- poeple think there werent mass hystria more that the newspapers (rival) took it out of hand so that the radio looked bad
what is gerbeners cultivation theory and how does it relate to wotw
- The Role of Media in Shaping Perceptions:
Cultivation Theory suggests that long-term exposure to media content influences people’s beliefs and perceptions about the world. Although War of the Worlds was a single, dramatic event, it nonetheless demonstrated how media can manipulate people’s perceptions of reality, even in the short term. The broadcast’s format (presenting a fictional alien invasion as a “live news report”) was designed to cultivate a realistic perception of the event, blurring the line between fiction and reality. This manipulation, whether intentional or not, shaped listeners’ immediate perceptions and caused some to panic, as they thought the Martian invasion was genuinely happening.
Cultivation Theory suggests that regular media exposure can influence shared beliefs and worldviews, and in the case of War of the Worlds, it shows how media can quickly create collective fear or anxiety, especially when it appears credible. For those listeners who believed the broadcast was real, it dramatically altered their perception of the world in that moment, cultivating fear of invasion and distrust of the unknown—even though the event was fictional.
- The Impact of Repetition and Credibility:
Cultivation Theory emphasizes that the repetition of certain themes in media over time cultivates particular worldviews. Though War of the Worlds was a one-off broadcast, the style of presentation—a news-like broadcast format—was designed to make the event feel real. When media repeats certain types of content, such as disasters, invasions, or crises, the audience can become more likely to believe that these events reflect reality. The more people are exposed to dramatic portrayals of destruction or alien invasions, even if fictional, the more they might begin to perceive the world as filled with threats or dangers.
Gerbner’s theory can be applied here to how mass media, in general, cultivates a sense of anxiety or unrest. While the broadcast itself wasn’t intended to be taken as reality, its dramatic and sensationalized portrayal of an alien attack contributed to the belief that something catastrophic was happening. The credibility of radio as a medium also played a huge role, as listeners trusted that the information coming from the radio was reliable, making the “invasion” feel more real and cultivating fear in the audience.
- Media as an Authority Figure:
Cultivation Theory highlights how media institutions (television, radio) act as authority figures in society, particularly in how they convey “facts” or construct a version of reality. In 1938, radio was seen as the most authoritative form of media. People trusted what they heard on the radio, which is why the War of the Worlds broadcast had such a profound effect. The format of “live updates” and “eyewitness reports” used in the broadcast gave it an air of authority and urgency that made it seem like an actual news event, rather than fiction.
Gerbner’s idea that media institutions create shared perceptions of reality aligns with how listeners relied on radio to provide truthful, credible information. In the case of War of the Worlds, the use of realistic sound effects and “real-time” reporting created a believable narrative. Even though it was a dramatization, the broadcast became a powerful tool in shaping audiences’ perceptions of what was happening in the world, essentially creating a momentary “constructed reality” where Martian invaders were real.
- Fear and Anxiety – The “Mean World Syndrome”:
One of Gerbner’s key ideas in Cultivation Theory is the idea of the “mean world syndrome,” where regular exposure to violent or frightening media causes people to view the world as more dangerous and threatening than it really is. While War of the Worlds was not about violence in the traditional sense, it was about the fear of a destructive alien invasion—an existential threat to humanity.
The broadcast tapped into pre-existing fears of war, the unknown, and technological advancements (e.g., the rapid rise of military technology and the threat of invasion). For some listeners, hearing the dramatic, emergency-style broadcasts about Martians landing in their neighborhoods could have created a momentary sense of fear and insecurity. This mirrors Gerbner’s mean world syndrome, where the consumption of fearful or disturbing media can lead to an exaggerated sense of danger in the world.
- Short-Term vs. Long-Term Cultivation:
While Cultivation Theory primarily deals with long-term exposure, the War of the Worlds incident shows that media can have immediate, short-term effects on perception. Even though the broadcast was only an hour long, it cultivated fear in the short term, demonstrating that media exposure, especially when it’s believable and emotional, can alter perception quickly.
This short-term cultivation mirrors some of the more immediate effects described by Gerbner in terms of cultural anxiety. The sense of disorientation and fear caused by War of the Worlds illustrates how media can rapidly shift people’s worldview, even if the content is not repeated over time.
what is halls recpetion theory and how does it relate to
- Example: News Broadcast
A news program may present a story about an economic crisis. The way the audience decodes the story depends on their social context (e.g., socioeconomic background, political beliefs, education, etc.).
Dominant Reading: A person who supports the government in power may interpret the news as confirming the government’s narrative about how the crisis is being managed.
Negotiated Reading: A viewer might agree that the economy is in crisis but feel that the government’s response is inadequate, leading to a more critical interpretation of the news report.
Oppositional Reading: A person who opposes the government’s economic policies might reject the message in the news report, interpreting it as biased or designed to downplay the real issues.
- Example: War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast (1938)
Orson Welles’ famous radio broadcast of War of the Worlds in 1938, which presented a fictional alien invasion in the form of a realistic news broadcast, serves as a historical example of how audiences interpret media in varying ways:
Dominant Reading: Some listeners might have accepted the broadcast as a thrilling, fictional story in line with the broadcast’s intended purpose as entertainment.
Negotiated Reading: Others might have found it confusing or partially believed the broadcast, seeing it as a distorted version of an actual event but realizing later it was just a radio play.
Oppositional Reading: A few listeners might have completely rejected the broadcast’s credibility, seeing it as an unethical manipulation of the audience, especially after hearing about the panic it caused.
Importance of Context in Reception Theory
Hall’s theory stresses that audience interpretation is influenced by their social and cultural contexts. This means that two individuals with different backgrounds, such as age, gender, race, or political affiliation, might interpret the same media text in radically different ways.
For example:
A political ad might be decoded differently by a liberal viewer compared to a conservative viewer, even if they both watch the same ad.
A television show that portrays gender roles might be seen as progressive by one audience and regressive by another, depending on their cultural and social positions.
Critiques and Contributions of Hall’s Reception Theory
Contribution: Hall’s Reception Theory was groundbreaking because it gave audiences agency in the media consumption process. It acknowledges that people actively shape their understanding of media messages rather than simply being manipulated by them.
Critiques: Some critics argue that Reception Theory underplays the power of media institutions and producers to shape the messages in ways that might heavily influence audiences, even if those audiences are active. It also doesn’t always account for the complexities of media consumption in the digital age, where audiences can engage with media in more fragmented or diverse ways.
how can it be seen as a drama
- orsen wells says “this is a dramatised version of the story”
- orchestra playing
- use of actors
- returns to the studio
- its very quick changing - changing from location to location within minutes
- etc
how can it be seen as a news convention
- weather reports wihtin
- breaking news before it started
- vivid description
- many “interviews” can be seen as legit
- eye witnesses
- refrence to reporter and police etc
- militarty is involved
