What Part Did Popular Culture And News Media Play In Changing America? Flashcards
Radio 20s and 30s
Changed under Roosevelt: president was now responsible for decision making and legislation, on a more personal and immediate basis
Cinema in the 20s and 30s
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
Studio system
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
Stars and the studio system
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
Criticisms of movie industry
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
Regulating the movies
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
Jazz and its impact on race relations
Many jazz and swing players were black eg Duke Ellington
Roots in black American music
More acceptance
‘Race records’
Specifically provide jazz and blues music by black performers
Controversial 1920s dance
Sexually suggestive Performers wore very little Development of 'flappers' Very dissimilar to more traditional and classic dances Liberation Charleston
Change of radio over time
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
Effect of radio on culture
Brought world to homes
Part of mass culture
War of The Worlds Incident
Dramatised novel on CBS, thought to be genuine ‘realism’- how much people relied and trusted the radio
Social impact of television from the 50s
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
American TV
Featured very few black Americans
Baby boom: targeted children
Products related to series of TV
Created a national culture
Change in politic through TV
‘Air time’ fought for by politicians and TV used as an advertisement
Eisenhower and Kennedy: persuasive and good looking