cover of episode The War of the Worlds: History's Greatest Hoaxes

The War of the Worlds: History's Greatest Hoaxes

2024/10/10
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Forbidden History

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奥森·威尔斯:通过巧妙的广播剧形式,将科幻小说改编成逼真的新闻报道,引发部分听众恐慌,但其目的并非制造大规模恐慌,而是展现媒体的强大力量和人们对媒体的信任。威尔斯本人在事后也表达了歉意,但同时也享受了由此带来的巨大宣传效应。 威尔斯的广播剧利用了当时人们对广播的信任,以及对战争和外星入侵的担忧,创造了一种身临其境的体验,使得部分听众相信了广播剧的内容。广播剧的成功之处在于其逼真的音效、新闻报道的形式以及对真实地名的运用,增强了其可信度。 然而,威尔斯也承认,广播剧的收听人数远低于媒体报道的数字,并且关于大规模恐慌的报道是被夸大的。 其他嘉宾:对奥森·威尔斯广播剧的评价褒贬不一,一部分人认为其是媒体运作的成功案例,展现了媒体的强大力量和人们对媒体的信任;另一部分人则认为其不负责任,夸大了广播剧的影响,并对媒体的报道提出了质疑。 一些嘉宾指出,报纸为了攻击广播这个新兴媒体,夸大了广播剧的影响,并编造了大量关于恐慌和自杀事件的虚假报道。他们认为,广播剧的实际收听人数和恐慌程度远低于媒体报道的数字。 此外,一些嘉宾也分析了当时的社会背景,认为二战前的时代背景和人们对战争的担忧,使得人们更容易相信广播剧的内容。他们认为,广播剧的成功也一部分源于当时听众的单纯和对科幻作品的缺乏接触。

Deep Dive

Chapters
Orson Welles's radio adaptation of "The War of the Worlds" presented as a news bulletin, raising questions about the public's trust in media. The broadcast's format, utilizing the "theater of the mind," aimed to create a vivid mental image for listeners, blurring the line between reality and fiction.
  • Orson Welles's 'War of the Worlds' broadcast challenged the notion of 'hearing is believing'.
  • The broadcast aimed to create a vivid experience through sound effects and silence.
  • Newspapers' coverage amplified the hoax, highlighting the interplay between media and audience.

Shownotes Transcript

Forbidden History presents: History's Greatest Hoaxes

Orson Welles's Mercury Theater radio adaptation of the H.G. Wells novel 'The War of the Worlds' was a simulated news broadcast which convinced many Americans that an invasion by Martians was underway... Newspapers claimed that it led to a massive panic around the country, but was the original audience actually that large?

Cast List:

**Guy Walters: **A British author, historian, and journalist who has written several books on WWII. As a journalist for The Times, he writes on historical topics for the national press.

Nick Pope: UK Ministry of Defense

**Marcus Brigstocke: **Author & Comedian

Joe Nickell: Paranormal Investigator

Dr. Linda Papadopoulos: Author & Psychologist

Alex Boese: Author, The World's Greatest Hoaxes

**Clyde Lewis: Radio **Host

Chris Gaylo: Local Resident

Eric Meyers: Narrator

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