Radio, Propaganda, and The War of the Worlds

Season 5, Episode 1

This illuminated lecture features Professor Paul Lerner as he discusses the famous 1938 radio broadcast by Orson Welles of "The War of the Worlds" vis-à-vis analysis from Austrian Jewish media researcher (and later advertising exec) Herta Herzog, who studied audience reactions to the broadcast and argued that the tensions of the time – the rise of fascist movements, the growing likelihood of war – agitated listeners and predisposed them to believe the fabricated threat from the skies, despite Welles’ assurances that the broadcast was a hoax.

This episode was recorded as a live presentation on September 1st, 2024 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.

Read the transcript for "Radio, Propaganda, and The War of the Worlds."

THE TEAM

Hosted by Aaron Henne

Scholarship provided by Paul Lerner, PhD

Edited by Gregory Scharpen

Story editing for the podcast by Julie A. Lockhart with Aaron Henne

Featuring the voices of Joe Jordan, Edgar Landa, Adam Lebowitz-Lockard, Julie A. Lockhart and Inger Tudor with music and sound effects performed by Andrew Anderson

Theme music composed by Michael Skloff and produced by Sam K.S.

Transcription by Julie A. Lockhart

"Radio, Propaganda, and The War of the World" Learning Resources

Learn more about:

• Orson Welles' "The War of the Worlds"

• Herta Herzog

• Paul Lazarsfeld

• Frank Stanton

• Fred Hacker

• Fritz Kreisler

• Theodor W. Adorno

• Max Horkheimer

• Karl and Charlotte Bühler

• Hadley Cantril

• Ernest Dichter

Watch with captions on YouTube:

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