culture/media/news

• Key features of cinema and impact on society

  Biggest form of entertainment

  1 seat for every 12.5 people 1941

  Over 20 magazines with between 200,000 - 1 million readers

  Gossip columnists had power over studios
• Studio System

  90% films worldwide filmed in the USA

  8 companies controlled industry including WB/Paramount
• Influence of stars

  Clara Bow = It girl

  Clark Gable = King of Hollywood

  Advertising and product placement = coca cola in MGM films
• Regulating films and HAYS code

  Impact of films was seen as negative by society

  1930 - 1966 films had to conform to certain moral standards

  Morality clauses for actors

  No drug trafficking, no swearing, no nudity
• Popularity of music

  Jazz music 1920s/1930s origins from black community

  Popular dances = Charleston and black bottom

  50% homes had gramophone in 1929 and $75 million in records sold
• Popularity of radio

  KDKA broadcasts 1920 election

  600 commercial stations by 1924

  Advertising on air to fund radio

  1926 NBC first national radio station

  Charles Coughlin criticised KKK and had 40 million listeners
• Social impacts of TV 1950s

  Advertising big part of TV targeted families, children and teens

  Eisenhower used TV 1952 campaign

  Nixon and Kennedy 1960 debate

  9% to 85% growth in owning TV

  Cinema attendance dropped from 55 million to 30 million

  Pester power used by children and wives to get products on TV

  E.G. Lone ranger rangoon skin hat $100 million sold
• Purpose of non commercial TV

  Government funded for educational impact

  E.G. sesame street

  Racially diverse casts to highlight society

  Political satire

  Main purpose was to restore standards
• Influence of broadcast news


  1920 radio = voice but newspaper = pictures

  1930s radio influenced TGDP society and politics

  1930s fireside chats reassured public

  1940s Ed Murrow reporting live from London on war

  1950s Ed Murrow See It Now exposed Mccarthy and ended 2nd Red Scare

  Cuban Missile Crisis 1960s

  Millions watched impeachment hearings

  Watergate on TV
• Shaping public opinion

  Walter Cronkite's expose on Tet Offensive turned public opinion against war

  Watergate changed opinions too

  Investigative journalism held leaders to account
• Power of broadcast news after Vietnam?

  Impact on Carter = powerful

  Broadcasters gave own interpretations of events not impartial

  Americans unaware of extent of biased coverage

  Carter lost support as media portrayed him as weak

  Non-stories became big issues