Rocco D’Ambrosca: 01/13/2004
On Oct. 30, 1938, “Invasion from Mars”, was broadcast on the radio. This radio play caused much commotion, confusion, and general mass hysteria. People actually believed that the U.S. was being invaded by aliens from Mars. Howard Koch, the writer of this play, used four techniques to add authenticity to the story. Howard Koch used news bulletin, official statement, interview, and eye witness account as techniques to add authenticity to the play. Also, this kind of event has already happened in recent years.
Howard Koch used news bulletin and official statement to add authenticity to his play. He used them together to create an even greater affect. First, he would start off with an emergency news bulletin that would interrupt the music, like this, “Ladies and Gentlemen, we interrupt our program of dance music to bring you a special news bulletin…” (Koch 290). Then, he would bring them an official statement on occasion, like this, “Citizens of the nation: I shall not try to conceal the gravity of the situation that confronts the country…” (Koch 298). By using the realistic news bulletin it gave the feel to the play that it was breaking news, and that only a little bit was being released at a time in between the music broadcast. On top of that he used official statements given by people of importance to give the feeling that it was a real speech that was prepared to give the news about the invasion.
Howard Koch used interview and eye witness account to add authenticity to his play. He used the interview and the eye witness account even closer than news bulletin and official statement. First, he would have the reporter interview someone, like this, “Mr. Wilmuth, would you please tell the radio audience as much as you remember of this rather unusual visitor that dropped in your backyard?” (Koch 293). Then, he would give the person’s response as an eye witness account, like this, “I seen a kinda greenish streak and then zingo! Somethin’ smacked the ground. Knocked me clear out om chair!” (Koch 293). Using interviews and eye witness accounts in the play makes this play seem much more realistic than if they were not used. It makes it seem as though these are real people who actually saw the invasion and are now testifying it to the reporter.
This kind of event where people nationwide are tricked into believing that something actually happened or is happening has probably happened today but on a much smaller scale. First of all, the people of 2004 are a lot less gullible than the people of 1938. This is because we have grown used to the fact that everything we see and hear in the media is not always true. There have been many hoaxes and false stories in the media in the past 10-20 years that people take a second look at, to see if it is really true. Some have even gotten to the point that when something amazing or unbelievable that is actually true happens they don’t believe it even though it is really true. An example of a time when people were fooled into believing the unbelievable was on March 31, 1989 when Richard Branson, chairmen of Virgin records, landed a hot air balloon, shaped as a U.F.O, outside of London and then emerged from his balloon wearing a silver space suit. This trick was smaller in range than the radio broadcast, affecting only a small area of London instead of the entire U.S. like the radio broadcast. Still, this hoax by Richard Branson fooled people into thinking we were being invaded from space.
In conclusion, Howard Koch used news bulletin, official statement, interview, and eye witness account as techniques to add authenticity to the play. Also, this kind of event has already happened in recent years with the hoax by Richard Branson in London on March 31, 1989. Howard Koch used simple techniques to make his play seem more realistic. He succeeded with flying colors, fooling the entire nation into believing his story. This just goes to show you that if you can write well and can use good technique in your writing you can get people to believe anything.
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