Radio, Propaganda, and The War of the Worlds

This illuminated lecture features Professor Paul Lerner as he discusses the famous 1938 radio broadcast by Orson Welles of "The War of the Worlds" vis-à-vis analysis from Austrian Jewish media researcher (and later advertising exec) Herta Herzog, who studied audience reactions to the broadcast and argued that the tensions of the time – the rise of fascist movements, the growing likelihood of war – agitated listeners and predisposed them to believe the fabricated threat from the skies, despite Welles’ assurances that the broadcast was a hoax.This episode was recorded as a live presentation on September 1st, 2024 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Learn more at theatredybbuk.org/podcast.

Om Podcasten

What do poems, plays, and other creative texts from throughout history tell us about the times in which they were written? And what do they reveal about the forces still at play in our contemporary societies? Using interviews with artists and scholars combined with readings performed by actors, The Dybbukast examines and gives context to creative works while exploring their relationships to issues still present today. ​ The Dybbukast is produced by theatre dybbuk. While the company is no longer producing full seasons, it will continue to use this platform to present live recordings of its illuminated lectures – which share The Dybbukast format – as they are available.