Why was the audience of the war of the worlds radio broadcast more frightened than the readers of the book version of the story? a. the radio play took place in a setting that was unfamiliar to its audience. b. the radio play left out the boring details included in the book. c. the characters in the radio play used frightening voices to read the dialogue. d. the news format of the radio play made the story seem very realistic.

The answer is D: the news format of the radio play made the story seem very realistic.

H. G. Wells, in this very famous radio play, used a very innovative, in fact, never before used, device to explore his narrative and its effects on the audience. He made the play look like a news radio broadcast, catching all that were listening by surprise. The audience, not having been confronted by such an artistic device before, and radio being still a relatively novel invention, were unable to tell apart fiction from reality, and in that regard, this radio play stands as one of the most innovative works of art seen in the 20th century.