Podcast Summary: Cualquier tiempo pasado fue anterior

Episode Title: Poder y poderío de la radio
Podcast: Todo Concostrina (SER Podcast)
Host: Nieves Concostrina
Date: December 29, 2024

Overview

This episode, marking the centennial year of Cadena SER, explores the profound influence and enduring vitality of radio as both a tool of entertainment and manipulation. Nieves Concostrina, with her sharp humor and historical insight, delves into radio’s power: how it transformed culture, shaped nations, and became both a channel for genius (Orson Welles) and a weapon for propaganda (Joseph Goebbels). Through a mix of storytelling, historical analysis, and guest interviews, the program traverses milestone events, iconic places (like the Eiffel Tower), and the magic of radioteatro.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Enduring Vitality of Radio

• Opening Reflection (00:32-02:46):
  Concostrina cleverly riffs on "Video Killed the Radio Star," lamenting both its over-interpretation and its gloomy prediction about radio’s future.
  • “La canción de los Bagels es chula, pero el mensaje es una patata [...] Los profetas llevan anunciando la muerte de la radio décadas y miren, aquí estamos demostrando que la radio es un cadáver con una extraordinaria salud.” (01:47, Nieves Concostrina)
• Celebrates Cadena SER’s centenary, underscoring radio’s adaptability despite decades of predicted obsolescence.

2. Radio as a Double-Edged Sword: The Genius and the Tyrant

• Themes set up (02:46-04:38):
  The show frames the episode around two emblematic figures:

  • Orson Welles: Visionary who showcased radio’s potential for storytelling, infamously with his dramatization of "La guerra de los mundos" (War of the Worlds).
  • Joseph Goebbels: Nazi propaganda chief who weaponized radio for totalitarian aims.

  “Esa cara y esa cruz en la radiodifusión tienen nombre y apellidos. El genial Orson Welles es la cara y el nazi Joseph Goebbels es la cruz.” (03:27, Nieves Concostrina)

3. The "War of the Worlds" Phenomenon: Entertainment and Panic

• Orson Welles’ Innovation (04:38-18:33):
  • Narrates the context and broadcast of the Mercury Theatre’s "La guerra de los mundos" dramatization.
  • Welles’ ingenuity was his use of the news-bulletin format, intentionally blurring fiction and reality—magnified by listeners who tuned in late and missed disclaimers.

    “Welles y el guionista cambiaron la estructura de la dramatización para convertirla más que en una representación teatral, en una crónica periodística.” (08:26, Nieves Concostrina)

  • Distinguishes between informed, habitual listeners and those caught off guard, highlighting the importance (and peril) of context and media literacy.
    • “Las víctimas de la emisión de la guerra de los mundos fueron precisamente los desinformados.” (05:14, Nieves Concostrina)
  • The panic was sensationalized by the press, threatened by the new medium’s power:

    “Los periódicos vieron que ese joven atrevido había demostrado en una hora de programa, queriendo sin querer, que la radio tenía un poder como medio de comunicación que nadie hasta entonces había calculado.” (18:33, Nieves Concostrina)

4. Historical Spotlight: The Eiffel Tower and Radio

• Art, Architecture, and Communication (22:41-31:16):
  Ana Baltierra, art historian, explores how the Eiffel Tower, originally reviled, became pivotal in global communications as a radio antenna.
  • In WWI, its radio capabilities helped the French intercept enemy communications.

    “Algunos historiadores han llamado a la Torre Eiffel el arma invisible de Francia durante la guerra.” (26:12, Ana Baltierra)

  • Became the home of the first French radio station, Radio Tour Eiffel, proof of the synergy between technology and culture.

5. The Craft and Magic of Radioteatro (Radio Drama)

• With Nacho Evia, Actor/Director (31:58-41:49):
  • Discusses evolution: radioteatro, ficción sonara, and podcasts, highlighting the diversity and liveness of the genre.

    “El oyente es partícipe tanto de los aciertos como de los errores.” (32:43, Nacho Evia)

  • Explains the creative process: the primacy of a tight script, the director’s role, and—above all—the unique emotive force of the voice and strategic silence.

    “En las ficciones sonoras se consigue que el silencio sea muy elocuente [...] es como un hechizo que se rompe con una respiración o con un jadeo.” (35:27, Nacho Evia)

  • The resilience and accessibility of radio: “Cuando haya un ataque zombie o un colapso, solamente nos vamos a poder comunicar por radio. Es que la radio nos va a sobrevivir a todos.” (36:40, Nacho Evia)
  • Shares personal anecdotes about fooling the radio public with compellingly scripted weekly stories, underscoring the medium’s immersive power.
  • Reflects on the empathy developed through acting, and on a moving inclusion experiment: a theatre piece turned accidental radiotheatre by a power outage, making “seeing” the story a matter purely of sound.

    “Fue precioso... porque así se consiguió que fuese totalmente inclusiva, creando la empatía en el público vidente para que viese una obra solamente como oyente.” (41:49, Nacho Evia)

6. The Dark Side: Radio as a Tool of Manipulation and Oppression

• Goebbels, Keipo de Llano, and Fascist Radio (43:24-49:07):
  • Goebbels’ Nazi Germany: radio leveraged for mass “nazification,” aided by government-subsidized “radios del pueblo” that blocked non-official stations; public spaces flooded with propagandistic messages.

    “Con la radio crearemos opinión pública”, dijo Goebbels. (44:53, Nieves Concostrina)

  • Spanish Civil War: Francoists attempted to emulate Nazi control of radio, but with less success.
  • Chilling anecdotes about Radio Sevilla and Keipo de Llano, using the airwaves to incite violence and normalize atrocity.

    “No es que arengara, es que animaba a los falangistas a violar a las mujeres de los rojos para que supieran lo que era un hombre. Alentaba a matar rojos como a perros” (48:11, Nieves Concostrina)

  • The legacy of hate amplified by radio, and the impunity with which figures like Keipo de Llano were revered posthumously.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Celebrating Radio’s Survival:
  "La radio es un cadáver con una extraordinaria salud." (01:47, Nieves Concostrina)

• Orson Welles’ Genius:
  "Wells era un genio en la dirección, en la interpretación, en el guión y en el postureo." (04:26, Nieves Concostrina)

• The Importance of Media Literacy:
  "Las víctimas de la emisión de La guerra de los mundos fueron precisamente los desinformados." (05:14, Nieves Concostrina)

• The Magic of Radioteatro:
  "En la radio siempre tiene que haber sonido, que no puede haber silencio, que es la muerte de la radio. Pero yo creo que en las ficciones sonoras se consigue que el silencio sea muy elocuente." (35:27, Nacho Evia)

• Radio as a Tool of Oppression:
  "Con la radio crearemos opinión pública, dijo Goebbels." (44:53, Nieves Concostrina)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:32 — "Video Killed the Radio Star," and radio’s resilience
• 02:46 — SER’s centennial, radio’s dual potential (Welles vs. Goebbels)
• 04:38–18:33 — Orson Welles and "War of the Worlds"
• 22:41–31:16 — Eiffel Tower as icon and tool of radiodiffusion (with Ana Baltierra)
• 31:58–41:49 — Radioteatro and acting for radio (with Nacho Evia)
• 43:24–49:07 — Goebbels, Franco, and the dark legacy of propaganda radio
• 51:34–52:51 — Musical epilogue: Pink Turtle’s swing version of "Video Killed the Radio Star"

Additional Memorable Elements

• Playful banter on musical covers and nostalgia, including Presidents of the United States of America and Pink Turtle renditions of "Video Killed the Radio Star."
• Artful weaving of personal stories, historical drama, and biting commentary on misinformation, both past and present.
• Use of dark humor and frankness, particularly regarding the atrocities linked to radio-driven propaganda.

Final Thoughts

This episode stands as an absorbing, entertaining, and critical meditation on radio’s paradox: capable of thrilling, educating and uniting, yet equally primed for manipulation and harm—depending on “quiénes y cómo las utilicen y con qué financiera.” A must-listen for anyone reflecting on the ethics of media, the art of storytelling, and the vital need for critical listeners in an age of ubiquitous information.