1) The fact that the show was on television meant that people found it more realistic as television was a place for news and other serious television items.
2) The presenter was Michael Parkinson, a presenter who had been in the eye of the public for 29 years by the time Ghost Watch came out, also he is respected as he has been knighted and is a CBE.
3)Parkinson speaks in a yet and reserved yet almost nervous tone throughout the show which adds to the seriousness of the matter, also people must believe its serious if someone as experienced as micheal parkinson is nervous.
4)Ghost Watch itself discussed and showed specific incidents of ‘ghosts’ revealing themselves, for instance when 'Pipes' the ghost which reveals himself to the family that stays in his house seems very real especially with the families reactions.
5)However the way in which the show was screened made it seem much less realistic than if it had been played like War Of The Worlds on the radio as there was much less opportunity to give away that it wasn't real as the audience didn't see any video footage.
Well done, Ed.
ReplyDeletePlease can you add an introductory paragraph and images?
Do you think that people are as susceptible to Cantril's theory today as they were in the 1930s?