Part 5/14:
Broadcast technologies like radio and television emerged as powerful tools for mass communication, capable of reaching millions simultaneously. This synchronization fostered shared national identities, civic rituals, and real-time live events—think FDR’s fireside chats or global broadcasts like Live Aid.
However, the same power to unify also brought risks. Control over broadcast signals translated into narrative control, enabling authoritarian regimes to manipulate mass opinion—Hitler’s use of radio is a stark example. Subsequent reactions, such as dystopian literature like 1984, reflect anxieties about the potential for propaganda and surveillance inherent in these media.