One of the most infamous events in radio history. Directed and narrated by Orson Welles, this radio adaptation of H.G. Wells' science fiction novel was performed by the Mercury Theatre on the Air on October 30, 1938. The broadcast was structured as a series of simulated news bulletins, which many listeners mistook for real news about an alien invasion by Martians. This innovative format, mimicking the style of contemporary news reporting, caused widespread panic among listeners who believed the