What Part Did Popular Culture And News Media Play In Changing America?

Question 1

Radio 20s and 30s

Answer 1

Changed under Roosevelt: president was now responsible for decision making and legislation, on a more personal and immediate basis

Question 2

Cinema in the 20s and 30s

Answer 2

1920s: non silent movies began
1927 ‘The Jazz Singer’ first ‘talkie’
Boomed following the war, became an evening out
1930s: each week change of ‘feature’ movie
Provided escapism and idolism

Question 3

Studio system

Answer 3

1930s and 40s: 90% of films worldwide made in Hollywood
8 main companies: chose which movies were shown where and classified suitability
B movies and A movies

Question 4

Stars and the studio system

Answer 4

Stars expected to behave similarly to their on screen persona
1930s Shirley Temple earned $5,000 a week
MGM $500,000 deal with Coca Cola- stars drank during breaks and interviews
If blacklisted (eg red scare) impossible to find work

Question 5

Criticisms of movie industry

Answer 5

Many complaints of the industry towards the end of the 1920s
Opponents said female stars wore too little/ smoked or drank too much
Gangster genre accused of making crime/ violence attractive
Stars involved in scandals

Question 6

Regulating the movies

Answer 6

Motion Picture Production Code (Hays Code) 1929-30
All movies had to conform 30-66, didn’t to driving idea of morality
‘No swearing, not even damn’ ‘no nudity’ ‘white slave trade could never be shown’ ‘morality clause’ for stars

Question 7

Jazz and its impact on race relations

Answer 7

Many jazz and swing players were black eg Duke Ellington
Roots in black American music
More acceptance

Question 8

‘Race records’

Answer 8

Specifically provide jazz and blues music by black performers

Question 9

Controversial 1920s dance

Answer 9

Sexually suggestive 
Performers wore very little 
Development of 'flappers' 
Very dissimilar to more traditional and classic dances 
Liberation 
Charleston

Question 10

Change of radio over time

Answer 10

Grew rapidly in 20s and 30s
Broadcast quicker than paper could print
Commercial and advertising: stations sponsored
Used by politicians and religious speakers
Radio Act of 1927: set up federal licensing of radio stations and shared out airwaves

Question 11

Effect of radio on culture

Answer 11

Brought world to homes

Part of mass culture

Question 12

War of The Worlds Incident

Answer 12

Dramatised novel on CBS, thought to be genuine ‘realism’- how much people relied and trusted the radio

Question 13

Social impact of television from the 50s

Answer 13

Advertisement reflected an idealistic lifestyle rather than realism and promoted ideas of ‘The American Dream’
Something to aspire to
Popular activities such as bowling/ cinema were advertised

Question 14

American TV

Answer 14

Featured very few black Americans
Baby boom: targeted children
Products related to series of TV
Created a national culture

Question 15

Change in politic through TV

Answer 15

‘Air time’ fought for by politicians and TV used as an advertisement
Eisenhower and Kennedy: persuasive and good looking

Question 16

Kennedy and Nixon

Answer 16

1960 debates
Kennedy appeared more confident and in control
Nixon: sweaty and less attractive on TV
Radio listener preferred Nixon

Question 17

Influence of TV advertising

Answer 17

Aired nationally- slogans spread
Post war boom and subsequent consumer culture
TV and advertising created a unified American culture
Revived the ‘American Dream ideology’

Question 18

Expansion of television

Answer 18

Recording techniques and special effects improved
More channels and shows
Pre recording allowed producers to shape the message of the programme
By 1970s: news and sport virtually only programmes shown live
Longer broadcasts and increased no of viewers

Question 19

Criticisms of the expansion of television

Answer 19

Many conservatives and religious people believed violence was glamorised
Criticised as manipulative: fixed quiz shows and decline in trust

Question 20

Non commercial TV

Answer 20

1967 Public Broadcasting Act set up
Govt funded
Established Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in 1969

Question 21

Sesame Street

Answer 21

Promoted racial harmony
Racial tolerance and sharing
Children in white suburbs have a positive view of other races

Question 22

60s and 70s change in attitudes through TV

Answer 22

More informed due to documentaries and presidential debates- danger of slant
MAS*H drama set in Korean War: made a discussion point and contributes to popular anti war feeling
Growing acceptance of BA due to depiction of black family life
Political satire: saw politicians if a diff light, less respect and look for mistakes

Question 23

Influence of the broadcast news WWII

Answer 23

90% of news is about the war and 50million tune in nightly 
Walter Cronkite (respected TV journalist, shapes public opinion to be that the war can't be won): negotiations need to happen

Question 24

Influences of the newspaper and radio in 20s and 30s

Answer 24

Broadcast news quicker, more authorities voice
Newspapers have advantage of images, tabloid format emerges
Radios create panic during the depression and fuel fears of failing share prices: people panic and sell shares
Papers also full of stock market scares

Question 25

Change of radio under Roosevelt

Answer 25

Restores confidence and trust in banks | Radio reports WWII more thoroughly and quicker than movie news reels

Question 26

Influence of TV in the 50s

Answer 26

'See It Now' in 1954: exposed McCarthy as a liar and bully: shifts public opinion TV news combines voice of the radio with advantage of images of the papers

Question 27

1960s and 70s TV

Answer 27

Lives news coverage of events such as the Viban Missile Crisis and Moon Landing Tv news largely favoured over radio (advantage of images) Politicians make decision on crisis from TV- part of the news Coverage of watergate hearings in Senate: change public opinion Jane Fonda visits communists North Vietnamese troops