In 1938, one of the most famous radio broadcasts in history occurred= Orson Welles= War of the Worlds. This radio drama, based on H.G. Wells novel, was broadcast on Halloween night and was presented in a format that made it sound like real news reports of an alien invasion. Many listeners, not realizing it was fictional, panicked, thinking that an actual Martian invasion was happening. The broadcast caused widespread fear and is often cited as one of the most dramatic demonstrations of radio power to influence public perception.
