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Old plays, books, etc. from the old days can't even compete with modern TV and movies. For one, not everyone could read in the old days. For those that could, they would have to be able to find the printed material, buy it and take the time to read it. How many of those could they manage in a lifetime? Plays were similar - people have to be able to get to the venue and watch. Especially in the old days, how often could that happen?

Compare that to TV and movies. TV is pumped into people's living rooms constantly. Your average viewer could absorb 4,6,8 hours PER DAY if they wanted. With the internet and streaming, one doesn't even need to go to the theater. Imagine how many times Hollywood could reinforce a theme in people's heads in a year. Pure brainwashing.

One more point of books versus TV: watching something happen, even when it is simulated, goes to the hindbrain. Even if our forebrain knows it's fake, our hindbrain accepts it as real, especially if substantial emotions are invoked. Books always engage the forebrain. You'll never mistake what you read (fiction) for what's real. But your brain will watch a drama and feel like it is really happening. Hollywood uses this technique to great effect when they do things like always portray Christians as mean, nasty, hateful people. Viewers know the show/movie is make-believe, but the association is made subconsciously, and reinforced again and again and again. I can't tell you how many people I've met who believe Christians are hateful, or military are bloodthirsty robot baby killers, or conservatives are racist, and they can't tell you why - they just know it. Everybody does. Boom, mission accomplished Hollywood.