Overview- How Popular Culture And News Media Changed American Society 1917-80

Question 1

Social impact of movies

Answer 1

Provided escapism and fuelled imagination
Genre movies, idols, fanbase
Influence of stars such as Clara Bow- way she acted/ dressed/ style
Not all effects seen as positive (opponents say females drunk/ smoked too much, violence in gangster)
Development of Hays Code

Question 2

Social impact of music, radio and TV

Answer 2

Jazz era: seen as morally negligent, sexually evocative dances
More accepting to black players
TV series glamourised crime/ violence, deceit eg fixed quiz shows
TV depiction of black family life

Question 3

Economic impact of popular culture

Answer 3

Studio sponsorship, advertisements and mass production of radios
Studios made deals with ‘sponsers’ eg MGM and Coca Cola
Advertising massive part of TV culture
Mass production made radios cheaper, affordability of hire purchase
Socio economically: people could travel more due to rising car owner ships and road systems- listened to radio and learnt adverts

Question 4

Political impact of the radio

Answer 4

Shaping of the political landscape, transmission of news and electrician votes results
By 1924,600 commercial stations that could release info before papers eg broadcasting results on presidential Election Day
Political and religious speakers used the radio to spread the messages (Roosevelt)

Question 5

Television and its impact politically

Answer 5

More impact that radio
Eisenhower’s 1952 campaign and use by Kennedy
Nixon uncomfortable and suspicious on air
1960 Kennedy/ Nixon debates, 4 debates with the 1st reaching 70million
Kennedy
MAS*H swayed popular opinion anti war
More politically aware due to news programmed in prime time broadcasting
Watergate Hearings: make own judgements: presented, distrust, 250hrs televised