On Air with the President
The media, from the broadsides of the Revolutionary era to the dawn of television, has always shaped the Presidency in one way or another. The advent of at-home news sources, such as radio and television, revolutionized how the general public heard from the President, and in turn, changed how presidents tailor their addresses to the nation. In honor of the 64th anniversary of the first-ever White House press conference with President John F. Kennedy, we’ll dive into this intersection between the executive and the airwaves.
Now Hear This
Before television became ubiquitous in American homes, presidents addressed the nation primarily through radio broadcasts. Prior to that, Americans would have only “heard” about the president through what was written in newspapers or if they happened to see an appearance in person. The very first president to deliver a speech via radio was Warren G. Harding at the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial in 1922. The medium was still in its infancy, and little remains known about how widely the speech was broadcast.
While Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover made occasional addresses via radio, it was not until President Franklin D. Roosevelt that radio became a de facto outlet for presidents to share information and policy priorities with the American people. Roosevelt’s “Fireside Chats” helped popularize the medium and became all the more critical during World War II.
The TV Age
The emergence of the home television set revolutionized how Americans could access not only entertainment but also important information from their leaders.
In 1947, Europe faced severe devastation following the war. Committed to aiding Europe’s recovery, President Truman introduced the “Truman Doctrine,” which stated that the United States would support democratic nations threatened by authoritarian forces. When Truman delivered a televised speech discussing the Doctrine on October 5, 1947, it marked the first time that TV cameras entered the White House for a live broadcast.
Although television was still emerging at that time, with viewership concentrated largely in urban areas, the address reached many Americans. The National Archives holds letters that citizens wrote to presidents, including this one from Judge Jed Johnson, who noted that he had watched the address with his family.
Letters to President Truman regarding his television address, 1947
Most Americans still experienced presidential addresses through newsreels screened in movie theaters, but despite the relatively limited television viewership, this live broadcast marked a milestone for the integration of TV and the presidency. Thankfully, Truman's speech was recorded using early Kinescope technology, ensuring its preservation for future generations to view.
Press-ing On
In the ensuing years, home television ownership skyrocketed. In 1950, when the Census Bureau began collecting data on TV ownership, only 12% of 40 million homes surveyed had a TV. But by 1960, that number jumped to 88%.
President Kennedy is often credited with truly harnessing the power of television for presidential communications. Beginning in his first year in office, he transformed what had previously been an occasional TV address into a presidential norm.
These press conferences were often broadcast live, allowing millions of Americans to witness the president’s ability to handle difficult questions in real time. Kennedy’s rapport with the media set a new standard for how presidents interacted with journalists, and he frequently used press conferences not only to inform the public but also to shape his administration’s image.
While he was in office, Kennedy held 64 televised press conferences, far more than any of his predecessors. This regularity was part of his broader strategy to present himself as open, transparent, and accessible to the American people.
Kennedy’s Press Secretary, Pierre Salinger, put it best:
"The fact of the matter is that the time when President Kennedy started televised press conferences there were only three or four newspapers in the entire United States that carried a full transcript of a presidential press conference. Therefore, what people read was a distillation... We thought that they should have the opportunity to see it in full."
Curious to see one of the early live press conferences? You can watch some on the JFK Library YouTube channel. The transcripts of every Kennedy press conference are also available on the JFK Library website.
