FDR and the News Media"Power was at the heart of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's relationship with the media: the power of the nation's chief executive to control his public messages versus the power of a free press to act as an independent watchdog over the president and the government. Here is a compelling study of Roosevelt's consummate news management skills as a key to FDR's political artistry and leadership legacy. [The author] explores FDR's adroit handling of the media within the classic conflict between confidentiality and openness in a democratic society. She explains how Roosevelt's manipulation of the press and public opinion changed as his administration's focus shifted from economic to military crises. During the depression FDR's leadership mode was flexible and open, seeking new answers for problems that had not responded to conventional solutions. Coreespondingly, his dealings with the media were frank and freewheeling. During the perilous years of World War II, when invasion was a legitimate fear and information could be used as a weapon, FDR was forced to be more secretive and less candid. Powerful publishers might have despised FDR, but Winfield shows how he bypassed them. Roosevelt elevated his personal relations with the working press to an unrivaled level of goodwill. He also held a record number of press conferences, nearly two per week during his twelve years in the White House. His famed fireside chats were carefully rationed for maximum impact. His press secretary, Steve Early, proved expert in promoting good press rapport. Winfield includes anecdotes and assessments culled from FDR's personal communications with journalists of the period from diaries and accounts of those who worked closely with FDR. She also gleans insights from the 1933-45 press conference and radio transcripts, journalists' responses, news articles, memoirs, letters to the White House, and the era's newspapers"--Jacket. |
Contents
The Roots of Presidential Press Relations | 1 |
The Development of FDRs Media Skills | 11 |
The New Deal Press Conferences | 27 |
Roosevelt and the Washington Correspondents | 53 |
The New Deal Publicity System | 79 |
Other Mass Media | 103 |
SecondTerm Crises and a Lack of Newspaper Support | 127 |
Publicity for a War Operation | 155 |
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administration agency American April Arthur Krock asked August became Biddle Brandt broadcast Byron Price campaign Cantril Chicago Clapper Diary Clapper Reference File Complete Press Conferences Congress daily Davis Deal December December 9 Democratic dent Early Memorandum Early's editors Eleanor Roosevelt election FDR's FDRL February File henceforth fireside chat Francis Biddle Frank Franklin Franklin D Freidel gave Grace Tully Hearst Ibid interview James January journalists July June Lindley LofC March McCormick military National Navy newspapers newsreel November October October 19 Office of Censorship Papers Pearl Harbor percent photographers political polling president president's Presidential Press press meetings press secretary propaganda Public Opinion publishers questions radio Raymond Clapper release reporters Robert Roose Roosevelt Library Rosenman Rosten Scrapbook secret Senator September speech STEP Steve Early story tion velt wanted Washington Correspondents Washington Star Washington Times-Herald White House Correspondents wrote York Herald-Tribune