The influence of popular culture and news media

Question 1

In what year was ‘The Jazz Singer’ released?
What was it and what was its impact?

Answer 1

1927
The first ‘talkie’ movie… exposed stars who looked good but just didn’t sound right- they were replaced.

Question 2

How many movie theatre seats were there in 1941?
What factors caused this growth?

Answer 2

10.5 million - one for every 12.5 people.
After war impact, evening out, lots more selection (B-movies, cartoons, trailers, newsreels.) Popcorn + ice-cream also introduced by some.

Question 3

In the late 1930s how many different magazines were produced that were related to fan gossip?

Answer 3

20, with readership of 1 million

Question 4

What percentage of films were made in Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s?

Answer 4

90%

Question 5

What was the budgeting for films during the 1920s and 1930s? B-movies and A-movies.

Answer 5

B list films were $50,000-$100,00 and A List films were $200,000 to $500,000

Question 6

How much was Shirley Temple paid per week in the 1930s? What was the average annual wage at that time?

Answer 6

$5,000 while the average annual wage was $2,000

Question 7

The MGM struck a $? deal with which company for actors/actresses to use this company’s product on set and during interviews?

Answer 7

Coca-Cola, $500,000.

Question 8

The ??? Code. Between which years did movies have to obey by this code?
What did it aim to do?

Answer 8

Motion Picture Production Code.1930 to 1966.
Make movies improve society by being morally improving films.

Question 9

In 1929 what was the value of the records sold during this year?

Answer 9

$75 million

Question 10

What was the decrease in record sales between 1921 and 1935?
Why was this?

Answer 10

140 million to 25 million.
Radio sales had taken off: provided popular music for free- especially during Great Depression, Records were seen as a luxury.

Question 11

What was the first commercial radio station setup in what year? What did it broadcast?

Answer 11

KDKA in 1920. The presidential elections.

Question 12

By 1924 how many commercial radio stations were there?
What was a negative impact of the growing amount of radio stations- what act did this lead to?

Answer 12

600.
Radio Act of 1927, when so many radio stations started up the airwaves became jammed. It set up federal licensing of radio stations and shared out the airwaves.

Question 13

NBC, the first national radio station, was setup in which year?
What was its opening broadcast?

Answer 13

1926
An American Football game.

Question 14

The Radio Act of 1927 was setup for what purpose?

Answer 14

To set up federal licensing of radio stations and share the airwaves

Question 15

By 1930 how many people were listening to the sermons delivered by Father ___ over radio?
What was he saying?

Answer 15

40 million.
Broadcast criticising the KKK, as well as bankers during the Great Depression. Also initially supported FDR’s New Deal.

Question 16

What was the increase in the percentage of radio ownership between 1930 and 1950? Why was this?
What was the growth of newspapers in households like in comparison?

Answer 16

39% to 91%. Mass production + hire-purchase= cheaper. Radios brought the world to peoples rooms: they felt part of a mass culture.
Newspapers in households still rose steadily, but not as rapidly as radios.

Question 17

In which year did Eisenhower use TV as part of his campaign?
What did TV mean for politicians? Who did it work well and less well for?

Answer 17

1952.
The people saw them in action and could judge more. Worked well for JFK, less so for R. Nixon.

Question 18

What was the increase in the percentage of TV ownership between 1950 and 1980?

Answer 18

10% to 98%

Question 19

What percentage of TV was recorded live between 1950 and 1970?

Answer 19

80% to just news and sports

Question 20

The 1967 Public Broadcasting Act setup which organisations?

Answer 20

Corporation For Public Broadcasting (CPB) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) 1969.

Question 21

What was the main aim of the PBS?
When did PBS produce Sesame Street? Impact on children? When was its funding withdrawn? Why?

Answer 21

Education with liberal agenda.
1969. Taught children about racial tolerance, counting and reading. Funding withdrawn in 1981 (Conservative backlash.)

Question 22

In the 1970s the TV show MAS*H was produced. Which war was this based around? Why was it relevant? Impact?

Answer 22

The Korean War. Relevant to issues in Vietnam at the time. Contributed to the popular feeling against war.

Question 23

Give an example of a TV show that popularised political satire between between ___ and ____? What did it do? Impact on society?

Answer 23

Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In (1968-73.) Made fun of/ criticised politicians. The people were more inclined to look out for mistakes and be less respectful towards politicians. Also triggered a rise in conspiracy theories.

Question 24

Which New York newspaper was the first tabloid format newspaper?

Answer 24

Daily News

Question 25

What was the name of _____ ______'s new series on CBS in 1951? What did it highlight?

Answer 25

Ed Murrow: See it Now. The unfairness of McCarthy exposing him as a liar and bully during the Second Red Scare… helped shift public opinion away from him.

Question 26

Give an example of three major events that were covered by live news coverage.

Answer 26

Cuban Missile Crisis, the Apollo Moon Landing and the Watergate hearings.

Question 27

Which famous news presenter produced a critical documentary on Vietnam after the 1968 Tet Offensive? What impact did it have on the public? What Vietnam atrocities had previously been shown?

Answer 27

Walter Cronkite. The public saw him as a reliable reported, so it shocked many that he was criticising the government. He showed how wastefuly and incompetently the war was being fought. Marines burning a village down to the ground.

Question 28

What was President Carter's support level during his first few months of his presidency? Why did the media switch up on they boy like ts?

Answer 28

60% to 70%. His ahh was shi at managing Congress and policy making, they decided Carter was incompetent.

Question 29

When did Carter collapse in a marathon? What did the people think of this?

Answer 29

1979. The people didn’t want a president who was morally or physically weak..

Question 30

For how many days were the 52 US diplomats held captive in Tehran? Impact of this for media+ Carter?

Answer 30

444 days. Carters inability to deal with the situation sealed his fate. Reagan released them minutes after he took the presidential oath in 1980.

Question 31

What attacked President Carter to which Carter had to use a paddle to protect himself? In what year?

Answer 31

A rabbit, 1979.

Question 32

Who did TV adverts initially target in the 50s? How come? Examples of types of adverts?

Answer 32

Children due to the post war baby boom. They used ‘special offers’ to attract attention for example with collectibles of figurines in cereal boxes.

Question 33

What happened to live broadcasted programmes in 1953 through to 1970

Answer 33

80% recorded live in 1953… only sport and news by 1970s.

Question 34

Difference in treatment from media: FDR vs Jimmy Carter. Why was this/ what did it show?

Answer 34

Whilst the media had a gentlemans agreement with FDR to almost hide his polio in the way they photographed him, they took every opportunity to mock Carter. Partly due to Carter’s presidential weakness, but also because of new shift in public attitudes of it being acceptable to mock the presidency (Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-in 1968-73.)