Manipulating the Ether: The Power of Broadcast Radio in Thirties America

F.D.R., the first politician to recognize the power of radio, appealed directly to the people for support of his New Deal. On October 30, 1938, Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds" broadcast brought widespread panic with its fictional newscast of an alien invasion. How Roosevelt used radio, how the news was reported, and the changes Welles caused are all detailed.