Panic

Panic. In 1938 the new medium of radio was still in its infantcy. Families gathered around their radio to listen to their favorite shows and news. On Halloween eve, the CBS Mercury Theater on the Air, did a realistic original recreation of H.G.Wells story... The War of the Worlds. It was performed as an Orchestra type music show that was interrupted every several minutes for a news flash. Breaking news that seemed to be real news even though they had several disclaimers... People still believed that the news flashes breaking in were actually real. And as the broadcast continued with ever increasing reports of martians invading the earth, sending America into panic. The power of the new medium of radio to influence people's lives coupled with the realistically performed news flashes set millions into panic. Sound effects and acting brought listeners to the point of disbelief. Orson Welles was simply enjoying his attempt to bring a Halloween Boo to a nation enthralled by radio, a scare on Halloween Eve.