The War of the Worlds (radio)

:{{Otheruses3|The War of the Worlds}}

Aftermath

In the aftermath of the panic, a large public outcry arose, but CBS informed officials that listeners were reminded throughout the broadcast that it was only a performance. Welles and the Mercury Theatre escaped punishment, but not censure, and CBS had to promise never again to use the "we interrupt this program" device for dramatic purposes.

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A study by the Radio Project discovered that most of the people who panicked did not think that it was an invasion by Martians, but by the Germans. Other studies have suggested that the extent of the panic was exaggerated by contemporary media, but it remains clear that many people were fooled.

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When a meeting between H. G. Wells and Orson Welles was broadcast on Radio KTSA San Antonio on October 28 1940 the former expressed a lack of understanding of the apparent panic and suggested that it was, perhaps, only pretense put on, like the American version of Halloween, for fun. The two men and their radio interviewer joked politely about the matter, though clearly with some embarrassment.

Related Topics:
H. G. Wells - Orson Welles - KTSA - San Antonio - October 28 - 1940 - Halloween

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