Before and after<i>the day after:</i>The unexpected results of a televised drama

Abstract

Abstract Over 80 million Americans watched The Day After, ABC's controversial drama about the horror and devastation of nuclear war. Many people expected a compelling indictment of the folly of the arms race that could create a significant ‐ shift in public attitudes. On the evening of the broadcast, researchers conducted random nationwide telephone surveys both before and after the broadcast of The Day After. In addition to examining attitudinal changes, behavioral changes were appraised by investigating communications to the White House, the Congress, the ABC network, counseling services, and antinuclear groups. Results showed that the program did not transform views of defense armaments or nuclear war. It did not mobilize a new antinuclear weapons crusade. The one surprising change was a “rally‐round‐the‐flag” effect that helped President Reagan, an illustration that unanticipated public interpretations can create quite unexpected consequences. The finding also suggests that communication theorists and methodologies need to be more open to the possibility of such oblique effects.