Orson Welles reflects on the legendary transmission of the 1938 world war

In 1938, a radio broadcast of Halloween of Hg Wells’ The War of the Worlds He made history when many listeners believed that the earth was under attack by the Martians.

Seventeen years later, Orson Welles The notorious night in an episode of the Sketch book by Orson Welles of the BBC Four’s sketch, giving his perspective on the chaos caused by his radio drama.

The broadcast aired on the Mercury Theater on the air, with Welles that told such a convincing story that some believed that it was a live news relationship.

The relapse was immediate. While the panic level remains debated, the event has become a cultural legend and one of the most notorious moments of radio history.

In the 1955 television segment, Welles explained that the show was not destined to deceive people, but to highlight something deeper. He reflected on the power of the media and on the ease with which people can be deceived when information comes through an authoritative channel such as radio.

“70 years ago, Orson Welles spoke of his famous radio adaptation of” The War of the Worlds “by Hg Wells. He claimed the 1938 transmission, which depicted a Martian invasion of the Earth, caused mass hysteria (a debated affirmation). Welles also said that one of the objectives of the transmission was not to highlight people Everything they listened to the radio. “

Looking back, it is fascinating how the words of Welles remain relevant. At a time when the disinformation spreads faster than never online, his warning to questioning what we feel and we still see Risona.

What started as an ambitious radio experiment has turned into a cultural milestone and Welles’ reflection reminds us that critical thinking is equally important now as it was in 1938.