The Cold War was a war of words; a war that did not involve any fighting. The war was between the United States of America and the Soviet Union, also known as Russia. The Cold War spanned a period of time in history from 1945, after the end of WWII, to 1991.
The television played an important role in the Cold War, as it was the primary approach used for the propaganda at the core of the Cold War. Propaganda is defined as the ideas, facts or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause. Television was invented in the 1940's at the start of the Cold War and was used mainly for news reports to promote America's position against the Soviet Union.
In 1947 the growth of the television exploded. The television was new, popular, and in high demand. Everyone wanted one. In the beginning of the 1940's people considered the television to be a fad, but then they realized that it was helpful to stay current with the news, especially given the circumstances of the Cold War.
The media overall consisted of print, film, radio, and television. Most of the media's communication was through radio and print, and then evolved into the television. In the 1950's the need to broadcast fresh new images and news was magnified. The television replaced the radio, so all the people who broadcasted for the radio ended up broadcasting on television.
The topics that aired on television were mainly political and worldwide events that impacted the viewers. Through television, the viewers were finally able to see the people they listened to on the radio for so long. The television reports were most, if not always, scripted. Many of the channels were specifically for reports about the Cold War and the news involving America.
The broadcasters showed propaganda on the television to give an effective message to all the people. They tried to prevent showing propaganda on channels viewed primarily by children. The broadcasters were hopeful that these "commercials" would help inspire people to act upon the propaganda and support the cause.
Since there were no propaganda "commercials" for kid channels, they spread propaganda to children through bubblegum cards. At the time, bubblegum was consumed by most of the kids, if not all. The kids also watched educational videos in school, which was a nicer way of showing propaganda to children.
The invention of the television, the growth of the media, and the role they played during the Cold War, all were key parts of America's fight against the Soviet Union.
Works Cited
Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2017. "The Role of the
Media During the Cold War." E-International Relations. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2017.
"Cold War / Useful Notes." TV Tropes. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2017.
"The Cold War." The History of Media Use for Propaganda Purposes. N.p., 05 Dec. 2009. Web. 09 Jan. 2017.