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FDR took office in 1932 when forty-one percent of U.S. cities had their own radio station. Five years later, 90 percent of the population had access to the radio. The radio was the preferred method of spreading news. What people heard on the radio was both more accessible and more accurate. Unlike newspapers, radios were a one time purchase. People could also listen to the radio of a friend. Besides, people did not have to be literate in order to understand. Lastly, hearing news directly from the president via radio was utterly raw and not filtered by news editors.
Ground Floor Broadcast Room, 1952
FDR's broadcasting of politics altered how politicians shared information moving forward.
Following FDR, in 1982, Ronald Reagan used the radio to his advantage to connect with the American public through his Saturday radio addresses. Reagan spoke about current events and tried connecting political parties by using humor throughout his Presidency. Post-Presidency, Reagan said:
“I soon idolized FDR. He’d entered the White House facing a national emergency as grim as any the country has ever faced and, acting quickly, he had implemented a plan of action to deal with the crisis. During his Fireside Chats, his strong, gentle, confident voice resonated across the nation with an eloquence that brought comfort and resilience to a nation caught up in a storm and reassured that we could lick any problem. I will never forget him for that”
FDR Franklin Delano Roosevelt FIRESIDE CHAT, 1936
Roosevelt Fireside Chats took advantage of the radio, a new innovation in the field of technology at the time. Roosevelt's implementation of new technology to spread information in politics set the stage for future president's communication with Americans.
FDR's successor, Harry S. Truman, was advised not to have radio chats right after taking office since he was bounded to be compared with FDR. Truman created a Broadcast Room in the Whitehouse, which shows the dedication to radio talks for the Amerian people following FDR's death. Truman knew of the power he had using radio to communicate with the American people and took advantage of it, following FDR's footsteps.
Like FDR, when speaking on the radio, Truman began by saying, "My fellow Americans," created a sense of community between Truman and his listeners.
Like FDR, Truman used new inventions of the time to spread his message. Truman was the first to deliver a presidential speech on TV and began to televise every speech. In 1948, Truman became the first presidential candidate to broadcast a paid political ad. Despite the rarity of TVs in 1947, by the 1950s, millions of families owned TVs.
NBC "Fireside Chat" Microphone
FDR was able to change how government leaders connect with their constituents.
Starting in 2009, the White House has had an official Twitter account to give updates via a live feed.
Today, politicians like Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) share news through social media accounts on platforms like Instagram and Twitter. Through Instagram live streams, AOC can connect with her constituents and share information about current U.S. government events.
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