Discuss the "WAR OF THE WORLDS" broadcast and its effects upon it's audience. How did it change people's perceptions of Radio?

H.G. Wells "War of the Worlds" broadcast by Orson Wells and numerous other radio and stage entertainers, brought a nation to it's knees.  Even though it was announced that the depiction of the story was for entertainment on the radio that evening, many people had not turned in yet to hear this disclosure, and as the story continued, were in fear for their lives, as they assumed all of what they were hearing was real.


This sci-fi thriller was depicted so "life-like" by incredible radio entertainers, that many across the nation thought that our nation was really being attacked by aliens.  In order to get ratings, even though it was brought to the actors attention that their broadcast was causing a hysteria, they chose to finish the broadcast. The "realness" made many so scared that they tried to leave their homes and the cities in which they lived, before the alien aircraft and martians came to get them too.  


This event is one of those historical moments that will be told forever.  After the general public was reassured that this was just a fictional story being broadcast that evening, and that none of it was true, the public was outraged.  They demanded that there be policies and procedures put into place so that nothing like what happened with this broadcast, would happen again.  People were weary to believe anything that was broadcast via radio for quite some time.