Week 1 - Task 2 - Goebbel's Speech

Goebbel's Speech
Goebbels suggests radio is for the twentieth century what journalism was for the nineteenth century and if that is true I then suggest that the internet is the radio & journalism equivelant of the twenty-first century.

Goebbel's was interested in a medium that would reach the 'masses' as they wanted to spread the Nazi political policies and recruit from far and wide and to tempt citizens who had lost a significant amount as a result of the great crash and to tempt people out of the slump of the depression with 'work an bread'. (the Nazi's 'arbeit und brot' campaign).
He speaks of "influencing the masses" which the Nazi's succeeded in doing and as a result Hitler came to power. So now, in later years, we know the effect radio was able to have on the masses at this time.

He believed that many just viewed the radio as a medium for entertainment whereas he saw it as an opportunity to portray the Nazi political agenda.

Goebbel's recognises that Hitler and the Nazi's coming to power was mainly due to the radio. "It would not have been possible for us to take power or to use it in the ways we have without the radio and the airplane."

The Nazi's used the radio as an alternative online campaign (as such) such as today's politicians use the internet and websites to spread the message of their campaign. For example Hilary Cinton has a very informative website in her run up to the presidential elections. Her website includes policies, ideas, and even announcements.
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/6287749.stm

Goebbel's suggests that although radio should provide forms of entertainment it shouldn't "harm the intellectual and cultural life of the nation" which is why he felt it should be moderated (controlled) by the government and be strongly linked to political ongoings.

His last paragraph of the speech is strongly infused with Nazi-ism:

"It is our dearest wish that science, industry and the intellectual leadership of German radio from now on will follow a new path, at the end of which stands our common, great goal:
One People, one Reich, one will and a glorious German future!"

By using this at the end of the speech it will stay with the listeners and people will go away with 'Nazi' on the brain and therefore reinforcing what he belived the main aspect of radio was - influence.