Political radio

Political Radio

Politics discovers radio

Though KDKA had broadcast election returns in 1920 (the audience was about 1,000 listeners), a consistent linkage between radio and the political scene took a few years to emerge. On June 10, 1924, the first radio broadcasts of the major party political conventions began. At the 1924 Republican convention, listeners could hear the nominating speeches for Calvin Coolidge and reports of other convention events in real time. The Democratic Party convention, which began on June 24, was also broadcast. Franklin D. Roosevelt's nomination of Al Smith for Vice-President foreshadowed FDR's extensive use of radio in years to come. While the legendary smoke-filled room where political decisions were made had not yet disappeared, radio began to open the political process to the average citizen. It also provided a new tool for politicians who wanted their message to reach a trend-setting portion of the population.

The conventions were embraced by radio manufacturers as a tool for stimulating radio sales, as evidenced by this ad copy for the RCA line of radios:

Cheer with the galleries when the delegates march in! No 'influence' needed this year for a gallery seat at the big political conventions! Get it all with a Radiola Super-Heterodyne. When the delegates march in –- their banners screaming; when the bands play and the galleries cheer –- be there with a 'Super-Het.' Hear the pros and cons as they fight their way to a 'platform' for you. Hear the speeches for the 'favorite son.' The sudden stillness when the voice of a great speaker rings out. The stamps and whistle and shrill of competitive cheering. Hear the actual nomination of a president. It used to be all for the delegates' wives and the 'big' folks of politics. Now it's for everybody. Listen in. Get it all! With the newest Radiola.

In 1924, just 4.7% of US households had a radio. By the time of the 1928 conventions, the figure exceeded 27%. And the conventions of 1932 were broadcast to over 60% of US households and the presence of the radio ears was forever changing the way the conventions were staged. No longer were they just for the delegates: now they were configured to appeal to the radio audience. Other countries also moved rapidly to provide radio coverage of significant political happenings and political messages.

Fireside Chats

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Franklin Roosevelt made extensive use of radio to raise the spirits of the American people. His Fireside Chats had a profound impact upon the national mood during these very hard times. His famous line, "All we have to fear is fear itself," was quoted many times during this period. The illustration depicts one such broadcast in March, 1933.

Roosevelt had a very commanding and impressive voice. It was so persuasive, Republican lawmakers were told to read his speeches, but not to listen to him! His declaration of war message to Congress is considered one of the most moving speeches of modern times.

During the WWII years, most national leaders made significant use of radio to rally their populations or to weaken the political will of their opponents. The former was usually more effective than the latter.

Political radio today

The first use of television to cover a political event occurred in 1940 on an experimental basis when NBC broadcast filmed reports from the Republican convention, but television had to wait to displace radio as a primary medium for political communication until after World War II. By 1952, the displacement process was well under way in the US and other industrialized states. Today, instead of convention coverage and the rolling oratory of political leaders, radio's political coverage consists of brief news broadcasts and political opinion shows featuring commentators. Often the commentary is from a call-in audience. Major elections increase the political content of radio broadcasts, occasionally with an intensity recalling the glory days of radio, but the politicians have largely abandoned radio in favor of the video tube and, more recently, the Internet. Radio, however, remains an important political channel in less developed parts of the world where inexpensive radio is more feasible than more expensive television.

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