The radio broadcast makes more impact than the book excerpt because it creates a sense of panic, and it gives a realistic feel to the entire episode. We can hear the sound of metal clanking or the shout of awe from the crowd as they see an alien wriggling out from the cylinder. We listen to the first-hand, detailed descriptions of how the creature looks:
The eyes are black and gleam like a serpent. The mouth is V-shaped with saliva dripping from its rimless lips that seem to quiver and pulsate.
The announcer provides eyewitness reports of the fires and flames springing from a mirror. These descriptions make the alien invasion seem real.
