ohhh the needle!!!

Is the direct effect also known as this hypodermic needle one shot to inform everyone. Is this effect really possible in todays society with all of the demassified mediums the public has to choose from. Its not like the old days when everyone relied on their total news from newspapers and radio. My understanding of the direct effect is when one message is sent out and controls the ideas and thoughts of whats going on it the world. It seems in todays society If there is one message saying one thing there are three more saying the opposite. I suppose television could have this effect to an extent but never in a way that radio used to be able to. Like the infamous "War Of The Worlds" broadcast by Orson Wells when everyone flipped out thinking our planet was being attacked. A thing like that could never happen to that extent today, but imagine that feeling to trust a medium so much that people belive anything that comes through that channel.